Interesting Finds #9

Mr. Bean

Now, this is not a common object in Japan but it is a rare find and very convenient.  It is a small scrubbie object with perfectly weighted stones inside.  It is just right for cleaning the inside of a jar, bottle, or similar object.  This is how it works. 

Day 19 part 2

I finally finished my row in the asparagus fields but we still have two more to do.  We have been weeding the row for three days now.  We had these great views from the field today.  Then we weeded the onions. We got ice cream and I got mint flavor.  It was very good and it was homemade.  We are hoping to get a day off so we can go to the ocean.  We also think that we will hike the mountain if it is a clear day.

-Lauren

Day 19

Today we almost finished working in the asparagus fields.  We then worked in the onion field picking weeds. Then we had ice cream from an ice cream place with home made ice cream.  We piled 8 people in a small car.  Good thing three were small and could fit on our laps.  There are many bad bugs here but we have bug nets that cover our arms and head. I have a lot of bites and don't want any more.  They are some kind of black fly.  The end are you happy with me now Mom?
                                                                         Jordan

Host #3

TAKANO     FARM

We switched to the next WWOOF Host on Wednesday morning.  It is actually down the road just a bit from host #2 which I did not know until after choosing three hosts.  I initially wanted the hosts to be somewhat near each other so we did not have to travel a full day in order to arrive at the next place. Host #2 and host #3 actually know each other quite well and have shared farming ideas and techniques for many years.  They actually met on a kibbutz in Israel many years ago and both ended up organic farming in Hokkaido.

This farm is owned by Kenji and Miho Takano.  Kenji grew up in the area and has been farming for 32 years and has been part of the organic movement in Japan for many years.  He has taught many people about organic farming and has a larger farm with a small variety of vegetables.  He sells locally as well as in the Tokyo area.  He sends produce in a five ton freight car to Tokyo during harvest time.  His main products are potatoes and Japanese pumpkins.  They have four kinds of potatoes and two kinds of pumpkins.  They plant 1/3 of their land with a variety of other vegetables for local sale and for household use.  

Mr. Takano has been discussing and teaching organic farming for a long time and has hosted WWOOFers for eleven years.  He has always had a separate living space for his helpers including a few rooms in a shed, an old bus on the property, and his old house across the driveway from his new house.  We are staying with an Italian Family in the WWOOF house.  They are here for four weeks and the wife is Japanese.  They have two children ages five and two.  The husband works at an organic ranch with WWOOFers near Florence.  We are working hard and enjoying good food and snacks.  It has been sunny and warm working in the full sun.  Keeping hydrated and upbeat as much as possible.  The surroundings keep us going and the thoughts of swimming in the ocean on our day off.

Interesting Finds #8

It is never dull on the farm including rainy days such as today.  We made paper logs (fire starters) from newspapers that they will use in their fireplace to heat the hike in the winter.  It took about a half hour for three of us to make one.  First we rip the paper into small pieces, soak them in water, place them in log maker and press out the water.  Then they are laid out to dry.  They use one each morning when they start to use their fireplace or stove.

Interesting Finds #7

All water from the household, including toilet water, is collected into a pump house where it is filtered through three large bins.  Inside the bins are mesh bags hanging into the dirty water.  There are three bags for each tub filled with charcoal, small field stones, and leaves from the forest floor.   These materials absorb the bacteria in the water.  There are three tubs and water flows from number one to number three and when the last one is full, it flows into a small, person made pond behind the pump house.  They use little soaps around the home and toilet paper goes in a bin next to the toilet in order to keep the water free of unnatural products.  Toilet rooms do not smell at all and water flow is controlled to keep at a minimum.  The Abe family has put fish into the pond and they survived! Then they knew the pond was healthy enough to support wildlife. The pond is covered with duck weed and full of small frogs that I think are peepers like we have in Bryn Mawr. The frogs are wonderful for the vegetables here as they eat many insects.  We have seen a few hopping in the crops.  We fall asleep each night with the sounds of hundreds of peepers talking to each other.

Day Off

Yesterday we had the day off and the girls originally wanted to hike the mountain that we see each time we look to the west.  I was not up for another grueling hike on our day off so we headed out on a local bus adventure as there are no train stations in the area.  This is a popular part of Hokkaido for sight seeing.  We hiked out on Kamui Point, played at a campground area on the beach, hitch hiked to a nearby hot spring, got in indoor and outdoor hot spring overlooking the ocean and coastline, and just caught the last bus back to the farm.  We only ran out of time for lunch but of course had a few snacks and ice cream throughout the day. Amazing sights!