Cows stroll leisurely across a small hill where the reddish-brown soil lies bare. Their lean, muscular builds, which exude a sense of wildness, are the result of being raised entirely on free-range pastures in the mountains. The ranch owner, Nozomi Yano, is a former engineer. After leaving her corporate job, she spent 10 years developing a plot of land roughly three times the size of Tokyo Dome, where she now raises 30 Jersey cows.

She entered the mountains penniless, cleared the land, and started a dairy farm

Tamana City, located in northern Kumamoto Prefecture, is blessed with abundant natural beauty—including the Ariake Sea, Mount Kodai, and the Kikuchi River—and enjoys a mild climate. It is an agricultural town where rice, vegetables, and fruit cultivation thrive. It was around the year 2000 that Yano took her first steps in this region.

Originally from Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Mr. Yano had been working as a plant engineer designing equipment for a local steel mill, but he suddenly felt a sense of unease about continuing his life as a company employee. Having suffered from allergies since childhood, he began to fundamentally reevaluate his lifestyle and diet. During this process, he met a farmer practicing natural farming methods that use neither pesticides nor fertilizers, and his interest in food and agriculture deepened.In his late 20s, he left his corporate job and decided to settle in the mountains where his current ranch is located, aiming for self-sufficiency and sustainable agriculture.

“Settling” refers to entering uncharted territory and starting a new life there. Mr. Yano came across the site of a former ranch, now overgrown with mixed woodland at an elevation of about 200 meters, and was convinced that here he could pursue a form of mountain dairy farming unique to Japan. In 2000, he decided to move there penniless, bringing with him one cow, one pig, and one dog.He built a small hut in a corner of the land, cut down and thinned out the trees, cultivated the barren soil, and established Tamana Farm.

It wasn’t until seven years later, in 2007, that Mr. Yano was able to begin dairy farming in earnest. While selling milk, he also started processing and selling cheese to break even, gradually building the kind of ranch he envisioned. The ranch is named Tamana Ranch, after the local area. It took a full decade to expand the ranch to its current size, all while making a living by selling rice, vegetables, and eggs raised using natural farming methods.

A farm where vigorous, nature-oriented farming thrives

Thirty dairy cows live on the vast 15-hectare property. The cows are of the Jersey breed. Compared to the Holstein breed, which accounts for over 90% of the domestic herd, Jerseys are about 200 kg lighter and produce less milk. However, this makes them less prone to knee and hoof injuries caused by their own weight, making them well-suited for grazing on hilly terrain.

Beyond their suitability for this environment, we chose Jersey cows because the milk they produce is exceptionally rich in fat and protein, giving it a rich, creamy texture—a key factor in setting our milk apart in terms of taste.

Incidentally, Tamana Farm does not feed the grain or mixed feed typically used in conventional dairy farming. When the cows are hungry, they eat the grass that grows naturally in the mountains; when they are full, they take walks or doze off.

While most farms have barns to house and manage their cattle, Tamana Farm has no barns; the cows spend the entire year roaming freely on the mountain pastures. Naturally, they defecate and urinate in the mountains, but the manure from cows that eat only grass looks just like a clump of soil. It’s not watery, and it doesn’t have that pungent, nose-stinging odor.Mr. Yano picked up a piece, and it looked fluffy to the eye; it crumbled between his fingers and blended right into the mountain soil. Watching this, it’s easy to imagine how it returns to nature without human intervention and circulates within this land. There are only about 20 dairy farms nationwide that practice free-range grazing like Tamana Farm.

The cows at Tamana Farm have visible spines and faintly visible ribs. If you imagine the Holsteins kept in barns, they might seem thin, but Mr. Yano says this is a state closer to the wild.Since they do not feed the cows high-protein, high-calorie feed to accelerate growth and maximize milk production, the cows remain slim, and their milk yield is less than half that of typical Jersey cows. Yet, this is precisely why they are healthy. Because they eat a diet that does not strain their bodies, get moderate exercise, sleep well, and live stress-free lives, they do not become obese and are less prone to illness. The cows breed naturally in the mountains, and calving occurs without human assistance—the cows give birth on their own.

Tamana Farm is alive with a vigorous rhythm that follows the laws of nature. Mr. Yano believes that this cycle represents the ideal form of dairy farming, and that mountain dairy farming is the best choice for producing the finest milk.

Tamana Farm’s Dairy Products Reflecting the Seasons and Local Climate

The milk from cows raised in this environment is characterized by a creamy color with a faint yellowish tint. While the average milk fat content of commercially available milk is around 3% for Holsteins and 4% for Jerseys, Tamana Farm’s milk reaches 5%. This high milk fat content creates a rich, full-bodied flavor, yet the aftertaste is surprisingly refreshing.Another distinctive feature of Tamana Farm’s milk is that its flavor subtly changes with the seasons, influenced by temperature and the condition of the pasture grass. While high-temperature pasteurization—heating milk to 120–130°C for 3 seconds—is the standard in Japan, Tamana Farm uses low-temperature pasteurization at 65°C for 30 minutes, resulting in minimal protein denaturation. This preserves the raw milk’s natural, clean flavor and the seasonal nuances, giving it a smooth, light mouthfeel.There is no heaviness from proteins or fat clinging to the tongue; instead, it leaves a lingering aftertaste that fades away cleanly.

Made from this milk, Tamana Farm’s signature product—the original chèvre-style cheese “Lumière”—first surprises you with its aroma. A refreshing, faintly sweet scent reminiscent of fresh grass gently wafts up. When you take a bite, a rich depth and umami slowly spread across your tongue, yet you also sense a crisp freshness like mountain air. As it ages, the flavor gains depth, and the way it melts smoothly is another highlight of Lumière.Developed by Mr. Yano after searching for a production method that perfectly suited the quality of the milk he produces himself, this cheese encapsulates the natural environment where the cows live and the changing seasons. It is a masterpiece that won the Grand Prize at the Kumamoto Food Science Research Association Awards in 2011.

Passing on sustainable dairy farming that supports a livelihood to the next generation

Tamana Farm’s dairy products—including milk, cheese, and butter—are sold directly to the public and enjoy strong support from chefs, pastry chefs, and natural food stores both within and outside the prefecture. However, Mr. Yano’s goal is not to increase production beyond current levels, but to maintain quality.

The ranch, developed on a mountaintop, has many slopes, and grass struggles to grow in shaded areas. Furthermore, due to the frequent torrential rains in recent years, soil erosion has become a reality, making it increasingly difficult to secure enough grass within the ranch itself. While they currently make up for the shortfall by growing grass on separate fields, securing sufficient land for the ranch remains an immediate challenge.

Mr. Yano also feels a sense of responsibility toward the next generation of dairy farmers. While there is a constant stream of visitors coming to observe and train with the aim of adopting farming methods like those at Tamana Farm, it is not uncommon for them to face obstacles related to funding and land.Mr. Yano believes that agriculture is only sustainable when it not only produces food but also provides a livelihood. To achieve this, he believes it is important not only to pass on know-how to the younger generation but also to create an environment where they can take on new challenges with confidence. He also notes that to address these issues, consumers need to change their criteria and mindset when choosing food.

To this end, Tamana Farm actively conducts farm tours and events aimed at both consumers and producers to encourage them to think about food and its production environment. Perhaps as a result of these efforts, consumers, producers, chefs, and even local governments who resonate with Mr. Yano’s vision have begun voluntarily promoting the appeal of Tamana Farm’s products and the excellence of its initiatives.In this way, the seeds sown by Mr. Yano are gradually bearing fruit, and the circle of his activities is expanding—deepening understanding of the potential and value of mountain dairy farming in Japan, where approximately 70% of the land area consists of mountains and plateaus.

The name of the cheese into which Mr. Yano has poured his heart and soul is “Lumière.” Just like this cheese, whose name means “light” in French, the small light born from life in the mountains has now reached maturity and is beginning to illuminate the next generation.

The post Mountain Pastoral Farming: A Vision for the Future of Dairy Farming. Nozomi Yano of “Tamana Farm” / Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

In 1984, Mr. Zensaku Yoshida, who had been working for a company in Tokyo, started a dairy farm in the Kibi Plateau in Okayama Prefecture to make cheese. He raised healthy cows, and the cheeses he made from their milk, such as Camembert, Ricotta, and Caciocavallo, were highly praised by chefs at famous restaurants and spread throughout Japan.

Starting out as a “cow farmer” making cheese

Yoshida Farm is located in the Kibi Plateau in central Okayama Prefecture, near Okayama Airport and about an hour’s drive from Okayama City. The farm is located on a rugged terrain at an elevation of about 370 meters above sea level, where about 60 Brown Swiss cows graze and a cheese factory is set up on the premises. It is a pioneer in Japan of “Fermier cheese,” which is made exclusively from the milk of its own cows.

Mr. Zensaku Yoshida, who started Yoshida Farm in 1984, was born in Okayama City in 1955. After graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Hokkaido University and working for a company in Tokyo for about five years, he decided to pursue his passion for manufacturing and started making cheese. Knowing that cheesemaking meant raising cows, Mr. Yoshida spent the first six months of his life training in dairy farming, and started making cheese three years after opening a dairy farm at his current location.

Making cheese from the milk of Brown Swiss cows

Mr. Yoshida says, “My parents were complete amateurs when it came to cow husbandry, but after five years of working together 365 days a year without a break, they felt they had stabilized the business. When you think about it, it is amazing that they were able to grasp the know-how of dairy farming and start making cheese in just five years,” says Zensaku Yoshida. Mr. Harano Yoshida, the son of Mr. Zensaku Yoshida, says, “I am very proud of him. He is the current leader of Yoshida Farm.

European farmers raise livestock suited to the climate of each region, and the cheese made from their milk is a specialty of each region. Gouda cheese, for example, is made from the milk of large, stout Holstein cows, which are perfectly suited to the plains of the Netherlands, and has become a representative product of the town of Gouda. Roquefort, one of the world’s three great blue cheeses, is made from the milk of sheep raised in the cool mountains of the village of Roquefort-sur-Surzon in the limestone region of southern France and aged in huge caves in the village. Also, in the mountains of northern Italy, goats that can climb up and down cliffs are raised, and “Caprino” made from their milk is famous.

Mr. Yoshida chose Brown Swiss beef, which is native to Switzerland, for its suitability for the Kibi Plateau. These cows are suited to go up and down mountainous terrain, and their milk has a good yield, which means that casein and other proteins, which are necessary solids for cheese making, remain in the milk after the production process. Currently, about 30 cows are milked daily at Yoshida Farm, and 550 to 600 liters are milked per day by machine. Compared to Holstein cows, the milk production is considerably lower, but the number of cows is kept to a level that allows the family to take care of the cows without strain.

Milk quality affects cheese 90%.

About 90% of cheese production is determined by the quality of milk, and humans can only compensate for about 10%. We may be able to bring it to an average, but if the raw milk is not good, we can never bring it to a satisfactory level,” says Harano.

Health management is carried out by paying the utmost attention to what the cows eat, such as hay, and to the rearing environment. While grazing, the cows eat grass outside, but they are also given plenty of “timothy,” a top-quality hay similar to that given to racehorses. This is crispy, dry hay with a good aroma, high protein and fiber content, and easy to break down in the body, so it does not put stress on the cows’ stomachs. Each cow receives at least 100 liters of water per day. Cows that walk around outside in this environment have their legs and backs strengthened, so they are able to give birth naturally without human assistance. Mr. Harano believes that the most important thing in cheese making is to keep the cows healthy, so he calls himself a “cowherd.

He grew up watching his parents, who never took a day off from taking care of the cows. Even so, he decided to take over Yoshida Farm because, “My parents seemed to be happy every day. They were blessed with good customers and were always busy, and it never seemed to be hard for them at all. It wasn’t until I actually started working with them that I realized how hard it is to be a cow farmer.

Learning cheese making from Mr. Pinna at the Italian Embassy

When his father, Zensaku Yoshida, started making cheese, there was only one small farm in Hokkaido and one in Nagano that combined dairy farming and cheese production, like Yoshida Farm. At a time when cheese was generally a processed cheese made by major dairy companies, Zensaku began making three types of cheese: Camembert, raclette, and fresh.

One day, Yoshida Farm’s Camembert cheese was discovered by Salvatore Pinna, a counselor at the Italian Embassy. He was impressed by the cheese he purchased at a bakery in Tokyo and said, “There is a Japanese man who makes cheese like this. I want him to make more cheese. In the past, Mr. Pinna worked for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, where he was involved in foreign aid, including agricultural development cooperation. He is so passionate about cheese that he is looking for someone who can make delicious cheese wherever he goes in the world. He immediately contacted Yoshida Farm.

In 1990, Mr. Pina visited Yoshida Ranch and spent several days with Zensaku, teaching him how to make caciocavallo, mozzarella, and ricotta cheese. Mr. Zensaku worked hard to follow his instructions, and when he sent the finished cheeses to the Embassy, Mr. Pina responded, “You passed. Later, Mr. Tsutomu Ochiai, the first head chef of the Italian restaurant “Granata” in Akasaka, Tokyo, and now the owner chef of “La Bettra da Ochiai,” fell in love with Yoshida Farm’s mozzarella cheese and started selling it to other restaurants, and it spread to other restaurants as well. It was significant that the chefs at the restaurants supported the cheese in the early stages of its production. Later, people who learned about Yoshida Farm’s cheese at restaurants began ordering it directly from us.

Expressing the taste that can only be achieved in this region

Currently, Yoshida Farm produces about 10 types of cheese, including Caciocavallo, Raclette, Parmigiano type “Kodaka,” Comte type “Majiyakuri,” Camembert, Mozzarella, and Italian Ricotta. Cheese is divided into natural cheese and processed cheese. Processed cheese, which is made by heating natural cheese and adding various ingredients, is made by first determining the flavor, as the lactic acid bacteria die and the cheese does not ripen during storage. Yoshida Farm’s cheeses are all natural cheese, and the taste changes over time as the raw milk is solidified, fermented, and aged by the action of microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria. I think the change in taste is fun for the people who eat it,” says Harano.

If you have livestock, a pot, fire, and salt, you can make cheese. The lactic acid bacteria are a major factor in determining the taste of cheese. Yoshida Farm has been using lactobacilli for a long time, creating and passing them down from generation to generation. Since lactobacilli exist in nature, if milk is left outside at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, the bacteria will come and multiply and make yogurt-like products. In order for the lactobacilli to work well, the speed at which the whey is released, the temperature, and the amount of water are adjusted during the cheese making process. This also leads to a crunchy texture.

Milk quality changes daily, and the fermentation and ripening of cheese depends on the temperature, humidity, and environment in which it is stored. It is interesting to make new discoveries in areas over which I have no control and over which I cannot control even if I wanted to,” says Harano.

Yoshida Farm’s cheese aging room is a semi-subterranean structure carved out of a slope. Two types of cheese are aged here: a Parmigiano type and a hard type called “Majakuri. The young cheeses are white, and a hard rind forms on the surface as the cheeses are repeatedly turned over daily by wringing out a towel dipped in salt water to wipe off the mold that naturally grows on the surface. This process is repeated daily, and a hard rind is formed on the surface. In the process of increasing the amino acid tyrosine, umami ingredients such as glutamic acid also increase. The product is left in the aging room for two to three years before shipping.

Building on Challenges While Having Fun

In the year that marked the 40th anniversary of Yoshida Farm’s establishment, a building was completed that serves as a storage room to preserve cheese while controlling its maturation, as well as a sales office and multipurpose space. The building was designed by Yoshifumi Nakamura, an architect who respects the beauty of natural materials and aging, and the impressive exterior walls are made from the feces of Yoshida Farm’s Brown Swiss cows. The building is constructed like a straw bale house, with blocks of straw piled on top of each other and hardened with soil and other materials. The name “FUN” is a play on the words “fun” and “feces,” which are synonymous with the enjoyment of a multi-purpose space.

The farm also faces the inevitable problem of cows that cannot be milked, which is an unavoidable part of running a dairy farm. Most of the male calves are entrusted to “Kajioka Farm” in Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. This ranch handles everything from the production of cattle feed to breeding, fattening, and management of restaurants that serve the cattle they raise as meals. The cows that can no longer give birth to calves are sold to Sakaeya, a butcher store in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture. Sakaeya is connected with producers at 10 ranches across Japan, and is able to process the cattle in the most appropriate way based on its knowledge of how the cattle were raised and with what kind of feed. These are two companies that Mr. Yoshida places great trust in. The cow hides are delivered from “Sakaeya” to “cornelian taurus by daisuke iwanaga,” a brand of made-to-order leather bags based in Kobe. I can raise them without any worries because I can entrust the end of their lives to someone I can trust,” says Yoshida Harano.

We can trust the end of our lives to people we can trust, so we can raise them with no worries,” says Yoshida. We don’t plan to make and sell many more. What I am focusing on is whether or not my family can continue to enjoy it. Dairy farming and cheese making are the same thing that we do every day, so whether or not we can continue to do it properly will make the difference between a better future and a worse one. I think that the challenges we find as we continue, even if they are small, will add up, and then we will finally be able to see the path we need to go down.

After passing on the cheese-making business to his son, the father, Zensaku Yoshida, is now growing wheat in the fields and taking up the challenge of baking bread as a hobby. Yoshida Farm’s style is for the family to enjoy each day’s accumulation, and to pursue their ideals through repeated discoveries.

The post Yoshida Farm,” a pioneer of Fermier cheese in Japan / Kaga-gun, Okayama Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Nakahora Farm is a pasture-farming dairy farm of mainly Jersey cows in the vast mountainous area of the Kitakami Mountains. The milk is pasteurized and non-homogenized at the company’s own milk plant, and is highly praised both inside and outside of the prefecture for its “rich flavor with a clean aftertaste.

Aiming for mountain dairy farming in his hometown

The Kitakami mountain range covers approximately 60% of Iwate Prefecture, with gently sloping mountains stretching from the center to the periphery. Nakahora Farm is located in a hollow 700 to 850 meters above sea level. It covers an area of 120 hectares, about 25 times the size of the Tokyo Dome. Here, 110 dairy cows, including calves, graze.

Nakahora Farm was established in 1984 by Tadashi Nakahora, a native of Iwate Prefecture, who settled in the Arigei district of Iwaizumi Town. While a student at Tokyo University of Agriculture, Mr. Nakahora learned about “Yamachi Dairy Farming,” a style of dairy farming advocated by Dr. Kyoji Naobara, a plant ecologist, and was shocked by it. In order to provide large amounts of milk at low prices, many dairy farmers in Japan today do not pasture their cows, but keep them in barns and feed them nutritious foreign grain feed. In contrast, “mountain dairy farming” is to plant wild buckwheat on mountains and let cows, which are herbivores, graze on the grass, thereby effectively utilizing the mountains, which cover about 70% of Japan’s land, for dairy farming and turning them into green grasslands. Furthermore, when one hears the word “grazing,” one tends to think that flat, wide grasslands are necessary, but cows can easily walk on slopes as long as they have grass, their favorite food. Thinking that this would make dairy farming possible even in the mountain forests of Iwate, where there are many steep slopes, Mr. Nakadora returned home after graduation and purchased his current farm, which had been put on the market by the “Kitakami Mountain Range Comprehensive Development Project. The project was to attract dairy farms to 17 cities, towns, and villages in eight regions of the prefecture, and the farm was a “build-to-order farm” that included a 50-hectare plot of land, various facilities, barns, and housing. Some of the equipment, such as a manure disposal machine, was unnecessary for mountain dairy farming, where cow manure is used to fertilize pastureland, and the farm was heavily in debt, but he made the decision to pursue his dream of “practicing pasture-based dairy farming in my hometown.

Why he chose Jersey cows

After settling in the area, Mr. Nakadora first cut down trees, put up fences around the farm to prevent the cows from escaping, and put 11 dairy cows out to pasture. The cows roam around and eat underbrush and leaves, which they eat up, leaving the soil bare. The cows’ manure and manure then became fertilizer, and eventually native wild grasses, such as wild buckwheat, began to grow. By repeating this process little by little, the pastureland with wild grass grew and the number of dairy cows increased. Dr. Naohara’s idea of the right balance between enough food for the cows and enough wild grass not to disappear due to overfeeding is “1.5 adult cows per hectare of pastureland,” and Nakahora Pasture follows this scale.

Making the Most of the Original Flavor of Raw Milk

Cows at Nakahora Farm are pastured day and night throughout the year. They enter the barn only twice a day for milking. The rest of the time, from spring to fall, the cows are fed on wild grasses and wild oats in the pastureland, and in winter, when the pastureland is covered with snow, they eat silage made from fermented pesticide-free grass from their own pastureland and Japanese hay. Mating and birthing are done in a natural way. Breeding and births are done in a natural way. Even after giving birth, cows are breast-fed for up to two months, so both mothers and calves are stress-free. They are healthy both mentally and physically.

Pasteurization at 63°C for 30 minutes

Nakahora Farm processes raw milk from such healthy cows into milk at its own milk plant and sells it. Mr. Nakahora shipped raw milk to an agricultural cooperative for seven years after settling in the area, but in 1987, the raw milk trading standard was changed to “fat content (percentage of fat in raw milk) of 3.5% or more,” and the purchase price of raw milk that did not meet the standard was reduced by about half. Nakahora Farm’s raw milk was not high in milk fat content due to the high amount of pastoral exercise, but from spring to fall, when the milk is fed on green grass with high water content, the milk fat content is even lower. Mr. Nakahora therefore felt a sense of crisis, saying, “I can’t run a business under this standard,” and decided to launch his own brand. With a loan from a bank, he built a milk plant and began producing milk. Incidentally, the dairy has since increased the ratio of Jersey cows to increase the fat content of its raw milk, which now ranges from 3.6 to 3.8% in summer and 4.3 to 4.5% in winter.

The ranch’s milk is characterized by its full-bodied flavor with a clean aftertaste. This is due to the fact that the milk is pasteurized at 63°C for 30 minutes. The pasteurization temperature and time change the proteins in the milk, causing it to lose its original taste. After much trial and error, we arrived at the legal limit of ’63°C for 30 minutes,'” explains Toru Makihara, who will replace Mr. Nakahora as head of the dairy farm in 2021. According to Makihara, the milk takes on a “matured flavor” as the days go by, and some customers enjoy the change in taste from the day of purchase to one week later.

Enjoy the “fresh cream” on the top of the bottle!

Another feature of Nakahora Farm’s milk is that it is non-homogenized milk. Homogenization” refers to the process of crushing the fat globules contained in milk into small pieces. The fat globules must be crushed before pasteurization in order to avoid scorching during the high-temperature pasteurization process (120°C for 2 seconds, etc.) for mass-distributed products from major dairy companies. On the other hand, the crushing of fat globules has the disadvantage of losing the original flavor of raw milk, so Nakahora Ranch chooses to use “non-homo” milk, saying, “We want our milk to taste close to raw milk. That is one of the reasons why our milk is said to have a rich taste. Also, as the days go by, the fat content floats to the top of the bottle, but this is fresh cream, so it is delicious eaten as is, and some customers even put it on bread,” says Makihara, proudly.

Aiming for “stable management” that can be passed on to the next generation

In addition to milk, Nakahora Farm’s milk plant also produces processed products such as ice cream, yogurt, butter, and pudding. Sales have expanded beyond Iwate Prefecture to Kanto, Kansai, Shikoku, and Kyushu, but business is still tight.

It is important for people to understand the value of our products.

Mr. Makihara’s family used to be a dairy farmer raising 600 cows in a barn in the neighboring village of Tanohata, but the family later went out of business. He came to Nakahora Farm 13 years ago, and felt that he wanted to raise cows in this way. However, it is not possible to run the farm at a loss of more than 100 million yen a year, as is the case now. We need a management structure that can feed the family and be passed on to the next generation of young people,” he stated clearly.

To stabilize the business, Makihara believes it is necessary to increase sales by having consumers understand the value of the products. For example, some customers do not know that the fat content is what floats to the top of our milk bottles. The price of our milk is more than five times the price of regular milk, so unless they understand why, that is, that we are a pasture-based dairy farm that feeds mainly grass, pasteurized, and non-homo, they will not buy our milk. On the other hand, if they understand, they will buy it,” says Makihara. Together with his young staff and trainees, he shares his wisdom and aims to develop the dairy farm under the motto, “For the cows, for the mountains, and for the health of the consumers who keep our dairy products.

The post Pasturing Jersey cows and delivering “pasteurized, non-homo” milk throughout Japan. Nakahora Farm / Iwaizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

北上山系の広大な山地で、ジャージー牛主体の放牧酪農をしている「なかほら牧場」。野草を食べながらのびのびと過ごす健康な牛の生乳を、自社のミルクプラントで「低温殺菌･ノンホモ」に仕上げた牛乳は、「コクはあるのに後味がすっきりしている」と県内外で評価されている。

故郷で山地酪農を目指す

岩手県の県土の約6割を占め、中央部から周辺部に向けてなだらかな勾配の山地が広がる北上山系。その標高700〜850メートルの窪地に、なかほら牧場はある。面積は、東京ドーム約25個分の、およそ120ヘクタール。ここで子牛も含め110頭の乳牛を放牧している。

なかほら牧場は、1984年に岩手県出身の中洞正（なかほらただし）さんが岩泉町有芸地区に入植して始めた牧場だ。中洞さんは東京農業大学在学中に、植物生態学者の猶原恭爾（なおばらきょうじ）博士が提唱した酪農スタイル「山地（やまち）酪農」を知り、衝撃を受ける。現在日本の多くの酪農家は、牛乳を大量に安価に提供するために、牛を放牧せず、牛舎につないで栄養価の高い外国産穀物飼料を食べさせている。それに対して「山地酪農」は、山に野シバを植え、草食動物である牛を放牧して草を食べさせることで、日本の国土の約7割を占める山を酪農に有効利用し緑の草地に変える、というものだった。しかも、「放牧」と聞くと平らで広い草地が必要と思いがちだが、牛は好物の草さえあれば傾斜地でも難なく歩くという。「これなら急傾斜地が多い岩手の山林でも酪農ができる」と考えた中洞さんは、卒業後に帰郷し、「北上山系総合開発事業」により売り出されていた現在の牧場を購入。この事業は県内8地区17市町村に酪農を誘致する事業で、牧場は、50ヘクタールの土地のほかにさまざまな設備や牛舎、住居なども付いた「建て売り牧場」だった。設備のなかには糞尿処理機など、牛の糞尿が放牧地の肥やしとなる山地酪農では不要なものも含まれており、多額の借金を抱えるものだったが、「故郷で放牧酪農を実践する」という夢のために決断したという。

ジャージー牛を選んだ理由

入植した中洞さんは、まず木を伐採して、牛たちが逃げないように牧場の周囲に柵を打ち、11頭の乳牛を放牧した。牛たちは歩き回って下草や木の葉などを食べるので、食べ尽くされて土壌がむき出しになる。そこに日が当たり牛たちの糞尿が肥料となって、やがて野シバなど在来の野草が生えるように。この作業を少しずつ繰り返すことで野草が生えた放牧地を拡大し、乳牛の頭数を増やしていった。ちなみに猶原博士は、牛が十分に食べられる量且つ、過食により野草が消滅しないちょうどいいバランスとして、「放牧地1ヘクタールあたりの牛の頭数を成牛に換算して1.5頭まで」としており、なかほら牧場でも、それに準じた規模で放牧を行っている。

生乳本来の風味を生かしたい

なかほら牧場の牛たちは、通年昼夜問わず放牧されている。牛舎に入るのは、一日2回の搾乳時のみ。搾乳時には、国産のビートかすと大豆かす、小麦を混ぜた「おやつ」が与えられるが、それ以外は、春から秋までは放牧地内のノシバや野草を、放牧地が雪で覆われる冬は、自社採草地の無農薬牧草を発酵させた「サイレージ」や国産の干し草を食べながら、広大な放牧地でのびのびと過ごす。交配も出産も自然のまま。出産後も2か月までは母乳哺育なので、母牛･子牛ともにストレスがかからない。心身ともに健康そのものだ。

「63℃で30分間」の低温殺菌

なかほら牧場ではそんな健康な牛たちの生乳を、自社のミルクプラントで牛乳に加工し、販売している。中洞さんは入植してから7年間は生乳を農協に出荷していたのだが、1987年に生乳の取引基準が「脂肪分（生乳に含まれる脂肪分の割合）3.5％以上」に変更になり、基準に満たない生乳の買取価格が半額程度となった。なかほら牧場の生乳は放牧で運動量が多いため、乳脂肪分が高くなかったが、水分量の多い青草を食べる春から秋にかけては乳脂肪分がさらに低くなる。そのため中洞さんは「この基準では経営が成り立たない」と危機感を感じ、自分のブランドを立ち上げることを決意。銀行から融資を受けてミルクプラントを建設し、牛乳の製造を始めた。ちなみに同牧場ではその後、ジャージー牛の比率を増やして生乳の脂肪分を高め、現在は夏が3.6〜3.8％、冬は4.3〜4.5％である。

同牧場の牛乳は、コクがあるのに後味がすっきりしている点が特徴だ。それをつくりだしているのが、「63度Cで30分間」の低温殺菌をしていること。「殺菌温度や時間によって、タンパク質が変化して生乳本来の味ではなくなる。そこで試行錯誤してたどり着いたのが、法律上ギリギリの『63度Cで30分間』だったんです」と説明するのは、中洞さんに代わり2021年から牧場長を務める牧原亨さんだ。牧原さんによると、日にちが経つと牛乳に「熟成した風味」が加わるそうで、顧客の中には購入した当日と1週間後の味の変化を楽しむ人もいるという。

瓶の上部の「生クリーム」も楽しんで

もうひとつ、なかほら牧場の牛乳の特徴が、ノンホモジナイズ牛乳（ノンホモ牛乳）であることだ。「ホモジナイズ」とは牛乳に含まれている脂肪球を小さくつぶす工程のこと。大手乳業の大量流通品は120℃2秒などの高温殺菌工程における焦げつきを避けるため、殺菌の前にその脂肪球をつぶしておく必要があるのだ。しかし一方で、脂肪球を砕くため生乳本来の風味が失われるというデメリットがあることから、なかほら牧場では「生乳に近い味を楽しんでもらいたい」と「ノンホモ」を選択しているという。「うちの牛乳の味が濃厚といわれるのはそれもあるのです。また、日にちが経つと脂肪分が瓶の上部に浮いてきますが、これは生クリームですのでそのまま食べてもおいしいですし、パンにのせて食べるというお客様もいらっしゃいます」と牧原さんは胸を張る。

次世代に引き継げる「安定経営」を目標に

現在なかほら牧場のミルクプラントでは、牛乳のほかにアイスクリームやヨーグルト、バター、プリンなどの加工品も製造している。販売先は岩手県を越え、関東や関西、四国、九州まで拡大してきたが、それでも経営は厳しい。

商品の価値を理解してもらうことが重要

牧原さんの実家は、隣りの田野畑村で600頭の牛を牛舎で飼育する酪農家だったが、その後廃業となり、牧原さんは13年前になかほら牧場にやってきた。そして「こういうやり方で牛を飼いたい」と感じるようになったという。「でも、現在のように年一億円以上の赤字経営ではダメ。家族で食べていくことができて、次世代の若者に引き継げるような経営体にしないと」と明言する。

経営を安定させるために牧原さんは、消費者に商品の価値を理解してもらい売り上げを増やすことが必要だと考えている。「例えば、うちの牛乳の瓶の上部に浮いてくるのが脂肪分だと知らないお客様もいます。うちの牛乳の値段は一般的なものの5倍以上ですから、その理由、つまり放牧酪農でエサは草主体で、低温殺菌でノンホモである、ということを理解してもらわないと買ってもらえない。逆に理解してもらえば、購入につながるはずです」と牧原さん。若いスタッフや研修生とともに知恵を出し合い、「牛のため、山のため、乳製品を飼ってくれる生活者の健康のため」をモットーに、牧場の発展を目指す。

The post ジャージー牛を放牧し、「低温殺菌･ノンホモ」の牛乳を全国にお届け。なかほら牧場／岩手県岩泉町 first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Takahide Dairy Farm operates a dairy farm as part of a “recycling-oriented dairy farm” where compost and liquid fertilizer are made from cow excrement and used by local farmers to grow feed rice for their cows. The farm has also opened a processing plant that makes cheese and gelato, and has grown into a spot that plays a role in local tourism through its direct sales style. We follow the farm’s efforts to aggressively manage its business.

40 years of raising cattle in Isumi City

Gelato, pizza, and cheese made with milk from the ranch are popular among tourists. About 180 Holsteins are raised here, and from the terrace of the Milk Kobo, a café that also serves as a direct sales counter, visitors can enjoy the sight of the cows relaxing outdoors. The farm is a popular tourist spot in the Sotobo area of southeastern Chiba Prefecture, and is also active in promoting the appeal of dairy farming, such as by holding hands-on dairy farming workshops.

Toward a management strategy that goes beyond union shipments of milk

Takahide Farm was started in 1983 in Isumi City by Kenji Takahashi, the owner of the farm. Before that, Mr. Takahashi’s father raised cows in Yachiyo City, located in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture. I started dairy farming at home when I was born, and I have loved cows ever since,” says Mr. Takahashi with a boyish smile. Ever since he was a child, his dream was to become a dairy farmer, and his dream came true at Takashu Farm.

The milk from Takashu Farm is shipped to the “Northern Chiba Dairy Farmers Cooperative Association,” a cooperative of dairy farmers that he has been associated with since his father was a farmer. Yachiyo Milk, the brand of the Northern Chiba Dairy, is a familiar local milk served at school lunches for residents in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture. While most of the milk currently in circulation is ultra-high temperature pasteurized milk, which is sterilized at 120-150°C for 1-3 seconds, Yachiyo milk is sterilized at a relatively low temperature (75°C for 15 seconds), known as the HTST method, and is characterized by a flavor with minimal flavor alteration due to heat.

Generally, milk is purchased from dairy farmers by distributors and distributed to dairy manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, but Mr. Takahashi points out that “the low price of milk purchased is a major reason why more dairy farmers are quitting. The problem is that dairy farmers themselves cannot decide the price of milk,” he stresses. In order to address this issue as a cooperative, the Northern Chiba Dairy Farmers’ Association has implemented the above-mentioned pasteurization method and a value-added strategy of locally produced milk for local consumption, which has been successful in expanding sales channels to school lunch programs and co-ops in the prefecture. However, the number of dairy farmers who are members of the cooperative continues to decline, and the situation remains difficult.

Mr. Takahashi has been focusing on “sixth industrialization” and “recycling-oriented dairy farming” as he continues to move forward with an eye on the current situation.

Sixth industrialization aimed at selling at a fair price

Noriyuki Okura is in charge of cheese production at Takashu Farm. After working for a major dairy manufacturer in cheese production, he moved to Takashu Farm in 2017, saying, “I want to make cheese from a distance where I can see the faces of the people who will eat it. He is the second generation of the cheese factory’s production manager, and he is constantly improving his skills.

Began processing and selling dairy products on the farm

As a “sixth industrialization base” that combines the production of processed milk products (secondary industry), its sales, and tourism (tertiary industry), Takahide Farm opened a cheese factory in 2011 and a milk factory offering gelato and pizza in 2016. The foundation of the milk factory was laid by Mr. Takahashi’s eldest daughter, Haruka, and in 2021, an antenna store of Takahide Farm, “Gyu Kau Bakka – Gelato Shop of Takahide Farm,” opened in the central area of Chiba City.

At the cheese factory, the previous owner has honed his skills and established a cheese-making process using milk produced on the farm. The semi-hard type “Makiba no Taiyo,” made by aging the cheese for more than a month, won a gold medal at the 2014 Japan Cheese Awards. His blue cheese “Blue Sky of the Meadow,” which combines the sweetness of milk with the unique flavor of blue mold, won Super Gold at the international competition “Mondial du Fromage” in 2015, among other achievements.

Mr. Okura, the second generation of the family to take over the craftsmanship from his predecessor, is in charge of the workshop. He has been making various kinds of cheeses and has also improved the gelato department, and has demonstrated his skills by making a hit with his gelato made from the blue sky of the prairie. Since his arrival at the workshop, sales of both gelato and cheese have tripled. I think the processing division can grow even more if we do well,” he said. The most important thing is that we can set our own prices. I believe that dairy farming can continue only if the price is fair considering the costs incurred. Mr. Okura says that young dairy farmers who have a sense of crisis about the future of the dairy industry often visit Takahide Farm for inspection.

Addressing the challenges of both dairy and rice farmers in a cyclical manner

Takahide Farm is promoting domestic production and local self-sufficiency of feed for cattle. One of the objectives is to reduce dependence on imported feed, which has skyrocketed in price. Currently, most of the feed used in dairy farming is imported, and the farmers are under pressure to reduce the impact of price hikes. Corn, which is fed to give milk its rich flavor, is one of the most common imported feeds. However, “If we switch from corn and other imported feed to domestically produced feed, we will tend to run out of protein sources,” says Takahashi. To counter this problem, he has taken advantage of Chiba Prefecture’s rich soy sauce brewing traditions to use soybean meal after soy sauce is squeezed out as ecofeed (feed made from food residues), and has also begun growing corn on the farm.

Another major objective of the project is to address the issues faced by both dairy farmers and rice farmers. This is the reason why the local self-sufficiency style of feed rice is “recycling”. Cattle manure is fermented on the farm and turned into compost, and urine is turned into liquid manure in a special lagoon. The compost and liquid manure are then used by local farmers to grow feed rice. The rice harvested there is then used to feed the cows.

In Isumi, abandoned rice paddies are increasing due to the aging of rice farmers. In light of this situation, the farm aims to incorporate feed rice, which is easier to cultivate than food rice, into the cycle to create demand for rice cultivation, thereby supporting the farming business. On the other hand, for the ranchers, it will lead to the utilization of cattle excrement and a stable supply of feed. Okura says, “By facing the challenges together with the local community in this way, we can protect the landscape of the satoyama, and I think we can create a strong dairy farming business.

Making cheese with milk from cows fed on local rice

Our milk is a little sweet and refreshing, and I believe that sweetness comes from the rice. For example, “Blue Sky of the Meadow” is a symbolic product that uses that sweetness to make a mild blue cheese.

Mr. Okura does not dare to select different breeds of cows, such as Jersey or Brown Swiss, for cheese making. He believes that the community and Takashu Farm are supported by the “recycling-oriented dairy farming” that has become a community-wide effort, which is why he always “does his best with the milk brought to the workshop.

Taking the next step

Mr. Okura, who incorporates such a concept of Takahide Farm into his cheesemaking, is enthusiastic, saying, “I want to make unique cheeses with the milk of cows raised on rice-based feed, using the best of my skills. Mr. Takahashi is also moving on to the next step. He is planning to establish a “TMR center” jointly with more than a dozen other dairy farmers in the neighboring area.

A TMR center is a “feeding center for cows. When one dairy farmer tries to produce subsistence crops, the labor cost of producing feed is a huge expense in addition to running the dairy farm. The tractors used to operate them cost a huge amount of money, as much as 10 million per tractor, and it is difficult for an individual farmer to purchase one. Therefore, the idea is to improve the efficiency of feed production by establishing a centralized feed production center to increase the self-sufficiency ratio of feed for the entire region. In particular, we need a system that separates the dairy farming part from the feed production part. If we have to work 14 or 15 hours a day, I don’t think young people will continue to do so,” says Takahashi, looking ahead to the next generation of dairy farm management. The challenge of a dairy farm that works together with the local community will continue in the future, involving various people.

The post Takahide Farm” aims to become a strong dairy farm by strengthening processing and sales and recycling dairy farming. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

We want to deliver not only the delicious taste, but also the producer’s thoughts. Kishida Farm’s “milk letter” was born from this desire. The taste, made by blending different varieties of milk, is loved by local residents and restaurants. What is the challenge of Mr. Tokuyuki Tanaka of Kishida Farm in pursuit of the lives of cows and ideal milk?

Cows raised on land rich in the blessings of Mt.

The town of Kotoura in Tottori Prefecture, where Kishida Farm is located, is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the north and Mount Daisen, the highest mountain in the Chugoku region, to the south, and is rich in nature. The black box soil, made from volcanic ash from Mt. Daisen, has excellent water retention and permeability, making it suitable for growing crops and pasture grass. The town is also blessed with abundant subsoil water from Mt. Daisen, making it an ideal environment for livestock farming.

About 80 years ago, Mr. Tanaka’s grandfather settled here as a postwar settlement. He cleared the trees, raised a few cows, and cultivated the fields. Later, Mr. Tanaka’s father steered the business toward a single cow operation, and it took its present form. Kishida” is the maiden name of Mr. Tanaka’s father’s side, and he still carries on the name “Kishida Farm.

Since the breeds and methods of raising dairy and beef cattle differ greatly, it is common for ranches to raise only one or the other. On farms that raise only dairy cattle, male calves are often sold or disposed of. However, Kishida Ranch engages in combined dairy and beef management, raising male calves as beef cattle and shipping them out on their own. The company takes care of all calves born on its own ranch, which shows its commitment as a “cattle specialist. In addition, the compost made from the cattle’s manure is used by local farmers, aiming for recycling-oriented agriculture throughout the entire community.

Stress-free environment for cows

On this spacious site, about 260 dairy cows and 800 beef cows, a total of 1,060 head of cattle, live in a relaxed and comfortable environment. In order to create a “natural” environment where each cow can spend her time in her favorite place, free-range barns are used. It is impressive to see the cows roaming freely in the barn.
The cows may look like they are just lounging around, but it takes a lot of work to produce 30 liters of milk every day. I want to let them rest when they can and feed them when they want. That is why we mix various kinds of feeds so that they get a good nutritional balance when they eat one,” he says.
He is meticulous about managing the health of his cows, changing their feed according to the day’s temperature, weather, humidity, and wind direction.

Milk that not only tastes good but also delivers feelings

Kishida Ranch began selling its own milk in 2001. Milk Bulletin”-this is the name of the milk sold at Kishida Farm. We want to deliver not only the milk, but also the thoughts of the cowshed. I named it after the image of customers who are waiting for this milk to arrive, just like a letter arrives in the mail. Since then, the milk delivery service has been supported by about 500 private homes and 100 restaurants.

Mr. Tanaka’s idea of good-tasting milk is milk that is rich in content but not too rich, and has a refreshing taste. It does not have the distinctive smell of cow’s milk, and many customers say they can drink Kishida Farm’s milk.
Whenever I open the refrigerator, this milk is always there,” says one customer. I want my children to drink it, and when I become a parent, I will give it to my own children. We want to create a brand that is not limited by price or quantity,” says Tanaka.

Blended milk according to the golden ratio

While many farms keep only one type of cow, we asked Mr. Tanaka why he keeps two types of cows.
He said, “Ninety percent Holstein and 10 percent Jersey is the golden ratio for me. I was told by a friend who blends milk, and when I tried mixing the two, it was better than one type of milk. Since then, I have been making blended milk according to my own golden ratio.

Based on the data from the cows he has raised, he has gradually learned what kind of milk quality he can produce. In order to create the ideal flavor, he selects cows with the necessary milk quality and strives to keep the flavor of the milk in the milk delivery. What he is particularly conscious of is flavor. The aroma of the milk itself and the aroma of the milk as it passes down the throat, etc., are all being studied at universities as they continue their pursuit of the ideal flavor.

Difficulties and rewards of in-house sales

Before selling milk newsletters, they shipped milk to factories. Since they started selling their own milk, they have changed their mindset dramatically. We receive money from customers to evaluate our milk. The evaluation of whether the milk tastes good or not comes directly from the customer. I keenly felt that it was the work of a cow farmer, something I would not have thought anything of if I had just left the milk at the factory,” he said.

At the same time, the answer is not only about how good the milk tastes. What you are doing may or may not be right. What direction should I take and what should be my goal? He is searching for answers as he works day after day.

Freshness is the name of the game: “Cheese Delivery”.

In addition to milk delivery, the company’s other product is mozzarella cheese.
The milk is squeezed in the morning and made into cheese on the same day, without using any refrigeration or brine. Therefore, the cheese is fresh and made to order. The cheese is named “Cheese Delivery” in the same way as the milk delivery service, as the company wants to deliver the feelings of the cheese makers as well. Currently, they only offer mozzarella cheese, but they plan to add fresh cheese to their lineup in the future.

The driving force behind the Oyama Project

In fact, it is not only milk and cheese that Mr. Tanaka makes. He is also a wheat producer.

In 2010, a project was launched to grow locally produced wheat in the area at the foot of Mt. The name of the project is “Daisen Komugi Project. The project was initiated by Mr. Izui, a baker who sources milk from the area. I want to make bread with locally grown wheat. I wanted to create something that not only tasted good, but also had meaning because it was made from local wheat,” says Izui.

However, wheat is a plant that originally prefers dryness and is difficult to grow in Japan’s hot and humid climate. In the San-in region, it is too cold to sow seeds in November, when the soil is not dry, and the harvest season in June coincides with the rainy season, so local farmers did not respond well.

At that time, Kishida Farm came to mind. Even if the wheat production did not go well, they could use it to feed their cattle. Mr. Tanaka listened to Mr. Idei’s story and said, “Well, I’ll make it for fun,” and accepted the wheat production.

If Oyama Komugi becomes the wheat that sustains Japan

At first, Mr. Tanaka was only thinking of wholesaling to Mr. Idei. But the bread that he baked was so delicious that I knew I had to make it available to everyone,” he says. I thought, ‘I have to feed this to everyone.
The cultivation of locally grown wheat, which began at Kishida Farm, gradually spread. Today, Oyama Komugi boasts an annual harvest of about 250 tons, and it is even used in school lunches in Tottori Prefecture, a project that has grown to involve the entire prefecture.

It is now commonplace for local bakers to use wheat grown in Tottori Prefecture. It will be possible for any artisan or farmer who says, “I want to make Oyama komugi myself.
Determined not to keep their skills and knowledge to themselves, they decided to create a culture of Oyama komugi, and the number of friends who shared their desire to do so increased. He said, “Now we have friends, and more bakeries and restaurants are using our products. The area of Oyama komugi has been growing rapidly, and the whole area around it has become a wheat field. He is looking ahead to the future and hopes that his wheat will eventually become the wheat that supports Japan.

So that “milk is Kishida Farm” will become commonplace.

Milk, cheese, and wheat are not all straightforward. It is not easy to provide the same quality every year, as it is affected by various factors such as the weather, the health of the cows, and the training of the staff. Even so, there is a reason why they continue to do what they do.
“I still think it’s the fact that there are no answers.” If we knew, “If we do this, this is how it will turn out,” it probably wouldn’t be interesting. We change the feed and the grass many times, and we keep trying to make it better by trial and error,” says Tanaka.

We are second to none in the process of raising cows and squeezing milk. Because of this pride, we are very particular about the quality of our milk, and we put all of our effort into providing the world with milk that scores 100 points. That is why Mr. Tanaka’s ambition is to have restaurants and confectionery stores use Kishida Farm’s milk.
I believe that if the customers make money, I make money, too, so I have always worked with the hope that when someone opens a restaurant, the first thing they will say when they order milk from Kishida Ranch,” he says. Mr. Tanaka’s challenge to create the one and only such milk continues.

The post When it comes to raising cows and squeezing milk, we are second to none. Aiming to be known as “Kishida Farm” when it comes to milk. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kasei Farm’s Challenge to Breed “Gandhi Cattle

In the Wajima area northwest of Nagaoka City, an area of lush greenery known as the home of Ryokan, a Buddhist monk born in the late Edo period and beloved by the common people, there is a ranch that raises ” Gandhi breed ” dairy cattle, which are rare in Japan. The Gandhi breed, or Gandhi cow, is a rare breed with fewer than 200 cows in Japan, and is currently raised only in Niigata, Tochigi, and Oita prefectures. Imported to Japan at the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912), Gandhi cows are characterized by their higher overall nutritional value compared to ordinary milk (Holstein breed).

I started my dairy farm 50 years ago and began raising Gandhi cows 20 years ago. I was ridiculed at the time, but now I can do it with confidence,” said Tsutomu Kasei, president of Kasei Farm. While in high school at an agricultural high school, he received training from a dairy farmer in Hokkaido, which made him yearn to live on a ranch, and in 1972, he began raising a single Holstein calf. In 1995, he expanded the size of his dairy farm to 60 cows, but the work only became more demanding in proportion to the number of cows, and he began to feel the limits of his physical strength. He therefore switched to a policy of producing high quality milk with high added value in order to reduce his workload and maintain his income. What he came across was Gandhi milk.

Currently, Holstein and Jersey breeds account for most of the dairy cows in Japan. The number of Gandhi cows, which originate from Cansey Island (England) in the English Channel, is decreasing every year. In addition to the small number of Gandhi cows, the amount of milk that can be milked per day is only about half that of the common Holstein breed. However, “Gandhi milk is richer and richer than any other type of milk, and it is very refreshing and easy to drink,” was Kasei’s impression when he first drank Gandhi milk. Because of its nutritional value, taste, and rarity, Gandhi milk has been called “golden milk” or “aristocrat’s milk” in Europe and the United States. Its high fat content makes it suitable for making gelato and ice cream.

Delivering Delicious Milk

It was 1997 when the first Kanjie cow finally arrived at Kasei-san’s dairy farm after he asked a number of dairies across Japan to sell their cows to him. She was a one-month-old cow. He carefully raised her and now has many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren living on his ranch. The cows are fed with a blend of grass rich in fiber, sugar, and protein. When milking, the cows are carefully massaged with a towel wetted with warm water before being disinfected and milked twice a day. Depending on the cow’s physical condition, sometimes it is easy to milk the cow and sometimes it is difficult. The rare breed of cows also presented some difficulties. There are only a few dairy farmers keeping cows in the first place, so there is no data on cow rearing methods or diseases, and there is no system for sharing data. Even if you consulted a veterinarian, he or she would tell you that they don’t know what to do with these cows.” Still, he says, there is an attraction to raising Gandhi cows. The product that consumers get is priced higher than regular milk. Still, there is certainly a demand for “good tasting milk.

As a producer, I am most pleased when people recognize the taste of our milk, ” says Kasei. In order to make the sweetness, richness, and refreshing drinkability of Gandhi milk known to more people, we would like to increase the number of Gandhi cow fans by shortening the distance between consumers and producers and creating mechanisms to convey our message as producers in an easy-to-understand manner, such as our own commitment and the experiences we can have because we come to the area. We would like to increase the number of Gandhi beef fans by creating mechanisms to convey our message as producers in an easy-to-understand manner. Incidentally, because the fat content is higher in winter than in summer, Gandhi milk ice cream has a refreshing taste in summer and becomes even more delicious in winter. Visitors can enjoy gelato and soft-serve ice cream at Kasei Ranch – Washima Honten, a directly managed store located a short distance away from the ranch. The shop also sells a variety of cakes and baked goods. We hope that you will visit the ranch and taste the difference in taste while experiencing the producer’s thoughts and feelings.

The post Delivering Delicious Dairy Products Kasei Farm, which raises a rare breed of “Gandhi Cows” / Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kato Farm in the residential area of Hidaka

When one thinks of a ranch, one thinks of spacious hills. However, Kato Farm is located in a residential area of Hidaka City, which is known as a bedroom town in the city center. Many people are surprised to see the ranch suddenly appear in a quiet residential area, but the truth is that the ranch is not located in a residential area, but rather, houses were built around the ranch. It was about 50 years ago that Kato Farm moved with 10 cows from Tokorozawa to this location, beginning with the purchase of a dairy cow by the previous generation in 1954.
At that time, there were no houses, hardly any roads, and it was pitch-dark at night,” says Tadashi Kato, president of Kato Farm.
The farm now has about 200 dairy cows, and not only does it provide a comfortable environment for the cows in freestall barns with space for them to roam freely without being tied up in a large area, but it also established a gelato store in 1995 and a dairy products factory in 1997 to produce high-quality milk, yogurt, and cheese, and to develop the sixth industrial sector. In 1997, a dairy factory was established to produce high-quality milk, yogurt, and cheese.

Kato Farm, where the milk tastes exceptional

It is not a large farm. However, the taste of the milk is exceptional. The milk is pasteurized and bottled in as little as one hour (12 hours at the most) after being squeezed. Non-homo pasteurized milk,” which does not crush the fat in the raw milk, suppresses the absorption of fat because the fat globules are not crushed, and the milk has a rich sweet taste, yet it is refreshing and has no milk odor.
For safety and peace of mind, we have been particular about our feed, aiming to produce milk in a way that cannot be done by large corporations. We are located in a residential area, so many families visit us on weekends.
The dairy farm also has a restaurant on the premises that serves a variety of meals, including cheese bowls with various flavors, risotto with lots of cheese, and milk korai nabe (hot pot). To familiarize visitors with milk and dairy products, there is a rich menu of hands-on activities, including milking, making butter, cheese, ice cream, and pizza (reservations must be made by the day before; currently under renovation as of December 2020).

Processed dairy products are also available.

The direct sales area also offers a wide variety of processed products such as pudding, soft-serve ice cream, cheese, and yogurt. The concept of the shop is “to let as many consumers as possible taste the deliciousness of dairy products,” and they are actively developing products and restaurant menus.
The puddings, in particular, are so delicious that Hidetoshi Nakata, who had tasted them at famous restaurants across the country, couldn’t help but remark, “They are delicious. Kato Farm uses only the finest milk, cream, sugar, locally produced eggs, and vanilla beans, and no additives.

Kato Farm also offers a wide variety of cheeses

There is a wide variety of cheese available, and Kato Farm’s burrata cheese won the Gold and Grand Prize in the burrata category at the Japan Cheese Awards 2020, one of the largest cheese festivals in Japan, which is held every two years. Other blue cheese, wash cheese, and chevre also won bronze awards, indicating their high quality. Although dairy products are most often associated with Hokkaido, it is well worth the trip, as it is close to Tokyo and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

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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.

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Free range and grassfed

Teruji Yamamoto moved to Hokkaido 17 years ago and started a dairy farm. He produces delicious milk by allowing the cows to roam freely and feeding only on grass. The farm is as big as 5 Tokyo Dome, you can see Kunashiri Island in the distance, and is located at the foot of Mount Mashu. The view of this vast landscape makes you feel ”like praying”. Yamamoto decided to start a dairy farm here because, ”there is nowhere else more suitable for dairy farming.” At the top of Mount Mashu is Lake Mashu, and the cows drink the underground water from the lake. Both people and cows enjoy the benefit of nature as much to the fullest.

Both cows and grass require time and effort to grow

“First year on the dairy farm, the cows were not accustomed to being able to roam freely in the cold. 4 out of 40 cows died at the end,” Yamamoto speaks of his past challenges. Holstein is an improved species and it is difficult to graze them outdoors but soon, they began to show resilience. The grass took time as well. ”I changed from chemical fertilizer to organic fertilizer and it took 2-3 years for the land to be ready.” The organic fertilizer is made with a mix of cow dung and chicken poop. Cow dung is full of nitrogen so the grass has a tendency to turn dark green and bitter, but now it is covered with beautifully balanced yellow green grass.

Drinking milk fresh from the cow

After rounding up the roaming cows into the barn, the milking begins. When Yamamoto calls the cows, they slowly gather towards the barn while chomping on grass. The cows are milked twice a day, and the milk goes straight into the fridge through a pipe. You can get about 5 kg of milk at a time from cows weighing 600 kg. Nakata gets to try the fresh milk. ”It’s smooth and there’s no bitterness. Unbelievably delicious.” The ”Green Label” of the ”Yoroushi Wild Milk” is made in the summer and is sharp and fresh, while ”Red Label” from the winter is creamy and rich in flavor.

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