long interview
Interview with Yoshinaga Farm
Buddy FOOD 02 We interviewed Mr. Yoshinaga, representative of Yoshinaga Farm, which produces okra to add greenery to chicken meat.
Q First of all, please tell us about Yoshinaga Farm.
A I used to work at a Toyota-affiliated auto maintenance and gas station, but my father-in-law was a farmer, so I started farming eight years ago. When I started farming, my oldest daughter was 4 years old. She was getting used to daycare, and we had to move to a new place to start farming. I will never forget how my eldest daughter, who had never complained until the day we moved, tearfully pleaded at the last minute that she wanted to stay. I will never forget how my eldest daughter, who had never complained until the day we moved, tearfully expressed her desire to stay on at the last minute, and how she was determined to make the family feel that way.
Currently, I am managing a vegetable farm of about 9 hectares. We produce many kinds of vegetables such as bell peppers, mini-tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, bitter gourds, corn, snap peas, and okra. My children used to call me "the enemy of children" because I grow only vegetables (laugh), but now they eat them with relish.
Mr. Yoshinaga growing vegetables
Q. Could you tell us about your specialties in growing vegetables?
A I believe that my experience in various industries and the fact that I was not originally a farmer have had a positive influence on my work. My desire to produce delicious vegetables is of course the foundation, but in addition, I think it is important to continue to think about what needs to be done and do it properly, and to do it honestly.
For example, I use less than one-third of the amount of pesticides used by most farmers, and this is the result of trial and error in order to continuously produce good products. Soil conditions vary from place to place and crop to crop. First of all, soil analysis is used to accurately assess the condition of the soil and correctly determine what action is necessary. This will enable us to narrow down the areas where pesticides must be used and thus reduce the amount of pesticide use to the bare minimum. This is not only good for the vegetables, but it is also good for the health of the fields, and by reducing costs, a virtuous cycle begins to turn, with more money being invested in soil analysis and other measures. We believe that the process of continuously producing good products is exactly the same in agriculture as in business. Other benefits include the use of green manure instead of compost, which leads to healthier and more cost-effective fields.
Oyasai Marche" operated by Yoshinaga Farm
Q Do you have any message for people who purchase Buddy FOOD?
A I don't have a dog now, but when I was a child, I had a Saint Bernard at my grandfather's house, and I went there every week. I grew up with him all my life, but in the end he developed heart disease and I distinctly remember watching him slowly deteriorate and as a child, I kept thinking about feeding him something good for his health to make him healthy. As someone who is involved in the food industry, I understand the importance of food for health, and I feel that it is a great pleasure for everyone to be able to eat the vegetables I grow for their precious families.
With Mr. Yoshinaga, at the farm
