Stress-free dairy farming using Circulatory Agriculture
Blue Okhotsk Ocean and land lush with trees. North Plain Farm, located in Okoppe town in northern Monbetsu-gun, incorporates circulation style dairy farming and produces milk naturally using pastoral land which is certified Organic with no chemical fertilizers used. 50 milking cows graze in a vast pasture of 100 hectares. Hokkaido in general is well-suited for cows, however there are not many farms who actually allow their cows to graze. At North Plain Farm, each cow is treated with respect and given delicious feed in a calming environment to make the most delicious milk. ”Okhotsk Okoppe Milk” is full of sweetness and fragrance of the pasture.
Creating a product that is simply delicious
The farm has been certified Organic for their processed foods such as cheese, and have obtained Organic JAS certificate for all 3 categories for their fodder and raw milk. This is rare and only the 2nd case in Japan. They showed us the factory and the processing line. Cheese, butter and yogurt using fresh milk is made to suit the Japanese palate. Butter is light and tastes like whipped butter. Cheese is made to be ”easy to understand and eat, like Gouda Cheese ”. Their main product, yogurt, is very popular with the full flavor of raw milk and a slight sweetness reminiscent of the pasture. ”I want to create a product that is simply delicious.” This ideal elevates the quality and creates products that is enjoyed by many.
The exquisite balance of sweetness and richness
When we actually tried the milk, ”The sweetness is really strong when it first enters your mouth. It’s rich but doesn’t have smell,” acclaimed Nakata. The milk tastes different from summer to winter, and has a more refreshing taste in the summer. They not only sell directly, but also partner with the local farmers cooperative to sell their products. Organic dairy farming costs more. To lower their prices, they are creative with the containers. For milk and yogurt, they use simple plastic containers, designed with consideration for distribution.
