A Farm in Chojabaru at an altitude of 1000 meters
Chojabaru is an area that spreads on the mountainside of Tateshina Mountain, the northernmost mountain of the Yatsugatake range. With a very blessed name, Chojabaru (choja means millionaire) is located at an altitude of 1000 meters, and has ideal aspects for farming, such as the temperature difference between day and night, and the hours of daylight. Yui Shizen Farm takes advantage of the natural blessings of the area.
When he was 22, Hirochika Yui returned to Chojabaru, his hometown , and started farming. His wife, Kiyoko, took interest in farming when she was working in Tokyo. Eventually the two met, and started operating the farm together.
At first, they produced a large amount of vegetables and shipped them to the market, however, Kiyoko suggested to start eco-friendly circular agricultural ”organic farming”. And in 1988, they decided to convert to organic farming, and stopped using chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
We Just Stopped Using Agricultural Chemicals
However, they had no income in the first year. Nevertheless, they did not bend their belief and continued growing vegetables without using chemicals. Now they have succeeded in growing more than 80 kinds of vegetables, and they started receiving orders from famous restaurants as well. Harvested vegetables are delivered to customers directly to their homes, and that way, customers can see who is actually growing the vegetables they are eating.
Nakata questioned, ”Did you study somewhere about organic farming? ”. Kiyoko replied with a laugh. ”Not really. We just stopped using agricultural chemicals to see how it would turn out.” They make their original fertilizer, by mixing rice husks and excrements of chickens and horses and fermenting it. Also, while vegetables are small, they take care of the fields by weeding every day.
Because of its high altitude, Chojabaru has a large temperature difference between day and night. Therefore, vegetables become sweet and high in nutrition. ”If you ask me what kind of vegetables I want to grow, I would definitely say delicious vegetables” Says Kiyoko. Even after more than 20 years from the great transition, ”Yui Shizen Farm” continues its pursuit for safe, tasty vegetables.
