Thursday, March 23, 2023
  • Login
198 Japan News
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • VIDEO NEWS
  • FEATURED NEWS
    • JAPAN US TRADE NEWS
    • JAPAN EU NEWS
    • JAPAN UK NEWS
    • JAPAN INDIA NEWS
    • JAPAN RUSSIA NEWS
    • JAPAN GULF NATIONS NEWS
    • JAPAN AFRICA NEWS
    • JAPAN EGYPT NEWS
    • JAPAN NIGERIA NEWS
    • JAPAN MEXICO NEWS
    • JAPAN BRAZIL NEWS
    • JAPAN THAILAND NEWS
    • JAPAN INDONESIA NEWS
  • CRYPTO
  • POLITICAL
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • JAPAN AGRICULTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN MANUFACTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN AGRICULTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN IMMIGRATION NEWS
    • JAPAN UNIVERSITY NEWS
    • JAPAN EDUCATION NEWS
    • JAPAN VENTURE CAPITAL NEWS
    • JAPAN JOINT VENTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN BUSINESS HELP
    • JAPAN PARTNESHIPS
  • ASK IKE LEMUWA
  • CONTACT
198 Japan News
  • HOME
  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • VIDEO NEWS
  • FEATURED NEWS
    • JAPAN US TRADE NEWS
    • JAPAN EU NEWS
    • JAPAN UK NEWS
    • JAPAN INDIA NEWS
    • JAPAN RUSSIA NEWS
    • JAPAN GULF NATIONS NEWS
    • JAPAN AFRICA NEWS
    • JAPAN EGYPT NEWS
    • JAPAN NIGERIA NEWS
    • JAPAN MEXICO NEWS
    • JAPAN BRAZIL NEWS
    • JAPAN THAILAND NEWS
    • JAPAN INDONESIA NEWS
  • CRYPTO
  • POLITICAL
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • JAPAN AGRICULTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN MANUFACTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN AGRICULTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN IMMIGRATION NEWS
    • JAPAN UNIVERSITY NEWS
    • JAPAN EDUCATION NEWS
    • JAPAN VENTURE CAPITAL NEWS
    • JAPAN JOINT VENTURE NEWS
    • JAPAN BUSINESS HELP
    • JAPAN PARTNESHIPS
  • ASK IKE LEMUWA
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
198 Japan News
No Result
View All Result
Home JAPAN AGRICULTURE NEWS

Both plants and people thrive when you garden with the neighbors

by 198 Japan News
October 17, 2021
in JAPAN AGRICULTURE NEWS
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
0
Both plants and people thrive when you garden with the neighbors
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

[ad_1]

Working outside at a community vegetable garden in suburban Tokyo on a sunny Saturday morning in early autumn, Ikuko Fujishiro is in her element. People of all ages are engaged in various tasks, but the vibe is decidedly relaxed and there is plenty of chatting mixed in with the work.

With time on her hands after pivoting to working from home because of the pandemic, Fujishiro accepted a friend’s invitation to help harvest potatoes last June. Grateful for the chance to take a break from her laptop, she has been visiting the shared plot in her neighborhood once or twice a week ever since.

“So far, I’ve experienced tilling the field, planting seeds, weeding, and harvesting rice and vegetables — all of which were new to me,” Fujishiro says with a smile. “I’ve lived in Tokyo, Kobe, London and Shanghai, but I’ve never had the opportunity to do any farming before. I feel relaxed and fulfilled when spending time in the garden.”

New Zealander Jon Walsh, a Tokyo-based urban farming consultant and founder of Business Grow, points out that the COVID crisis has helped raise awareness of the value of food and community.

“Since the pandemic began, demand for community garden plots in my part of Tokyo has jumped to the point where I missed out on winning one for the first time in nearly a decade,” Walsh says.

Most plots in Tokyo community gardens are around 3-by-5 meters square. | COURTESY OF AGRIMEDIA INC.
Most plots in Tokyo community gardens are around 3-by-5 meters square. | COURTESY OF AGRIMEDIA INC.

Land use

Many cities and towns offer plots of land for use by local residents for a nominal fee, often under the category of shimin nōen, or “citizens’ farms.” The application period to rent a community garden plot is usually in the first half of January. Application details are published in local newspapers or newsletters, available at city halls, libraries, train stations and other public facilities.

Typically, plot “winners” are notified in February and gardens open in mid-March. In Tokyo, the plot size is likely to be approximately 3-by-5 square meters. In most cases, community garden users must supply almost everything themselves, but can share large tools from the garden tool shed with fellow plot holders — fine for someone who knows what they’re doing; perhaps a little more intimidating for a novice.

Agriculture support business Agrimedia Inc. offers a more structured kind of community gardening experience at its approximately 110 Share Batake (“Shared Fields”) locations in Kanto and Kansai. Tools, seeds and fertilizers are all included in the plot fee, and experienced gardening advisers are on hand to help. According to Agrimedia spokesman Masahiro Ohta, interest in Share Batake has boomed since the start of the pandemic, with some 70% of users being complete beginners at vegetable growing.

Share Batake also seeks to address the problem of pockets of unused agricultural land in urban areas.

“By making effective use of idle farmland, we believe this model can be a win-win situation — both for those who wanted to grow vegetables but were unable to do so, and for people who had vacant land and needed help managing it,” Ohta says.

Amid issues like the climate crisis and shifts in the global food supply, Walsh predicts that community gardens will play an increasingly valuable role in society.

“They’re a microcosm of what food production can be, should be and likely will be in the very near future,” he says, adding that community gardens are a tangible way for food-growing skills to be passed on to the younger generation.

“Long-term food supply is a crucial issue, especially considering Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate in fiscal 2020 dropped to 37% — its lowest level since record-taking began in 1965. Ordinary people will increasingly have to take responsibility for at least part of their food supply, and urban farming utilizing community gardens is an important way this will happen,” Walsh says.

Urban farming consultant Jon Walsh believes community gardens will play an increasingly important social role, especially in Japan. | COURTESY OF JON WALSH
Urban farming consultant Jon Walsh believes community gardens will play an increasingly important social role, especially in Japan. | COURTESY OF JON WALSH

Growing together

With many international residents unable to travel to their home countries, community gardens can also be an opportunity to form new connections.

“Starting a conversation doesn’t get much easier than when you hand over fresh food to another gardener or neighbor,” Walsh says. “I have often given my excess food away to other urban farmers and been handed far more in return. When you grow your own vegetables, especially larger climbing plants like tomatoes and cucumbers, your fresh food bills can take a dive. Try ¥1 per tomato!”

Following a decision to practice a more environmentally conscious way of eating, Joanna Arai got involved in urban farming several years ago. Originally from Poland, she now raises vegetables on a shared plot in downtown Tokyo.

“It’s very rewarding and fun to be able to witness life unfold in all its stages and then provide my body with amazing flavors and nutrition,” she says.

At the other end of the country, Canadian Jodi Lindsay shares garden space and produce with her friends and neighbors in Shikoku. In the wake of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, she feels it is more important than ever to pool resources with those who have similar values.

“Other than the obvious health and economic benefits of producing our own food, our children are also exposed to a variety of people and knowledge that will prepare them for their own futures,” Lindsay says.

Concerns over health, lifestyles and livelihoods due to the pandemic have also led to increased stress levels. TELL Outreach Coordinator Selena Hoy points out that it is more important than ever to do things that nurture the soul.

“Community gardening is a great pastime in this respect and it ticks so many boxes — having a change of scenery, getting out into the fresh air and nature, moving your body and exercising, doing something creative and making social connections — all in a relatively COVID-19-safe outdoor environment,” she says.

So if you’re ready to try something more expansive than a balcony migrogarden, reach out to your local gardening community and get growing.

For more information about Jon Walsh’s urban agriculture consultation services, visit bit.ly/urbanfarming-jp. Prices for Share Batake plots vary by region. For more information, and to check for available gardens near you, visit sharebatake.com (Japanese only).

A few tips for gardening in autumn:

While spring might seem like the best time for gardening, Jon Walsh says autumn is a wonderful time for urban farming in Japan. Here’s a few of his tips for how to get the most out of planting this season:

• In warmer areas of Japan, the autumn-winter growing season is likely to run from mid-September through mid-November, upon which plant growth will slow to a virtual halt. If you are growing anything at home, you may need to clean up debris and weeds before you start planting outside, as well as refresh the soil in your planting containers to maintain those all-important soil nutrients for both indoor and outdoor plants.

• To find out which plants can be grown in autumn, visit your local plant shop or home store and see what varieties they have available. Options might include broccoli, mizuna greens, chingensai (bok choy) and herbs. Walsh advises growing a combination of seedlings and seeds — produce from the seedlings will be ready to eat first, with the seeds not far behind them. If you want to get food on plates fast, sow baby leaf seeds. These come in a range of different mixes and, with good sun exposure, should be ready to pick in 12 to 16 days.

• Growing vegetables isn’t rocket science, so don’t be afraid to seek advice and learn the basics. The key is to sow seeds at the right depth, grow most of your plants in places that receive maximum sunlight and water regularly. Almost anywhere a flower, shrub or tree is currently growing will be a good location — simply switch the plant for an herb or vegetable and add general-purpose soil suitable for a wide variety of plant types.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

You might also like

Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s Odesa port, key to grain deal

Ukraine’s grain challenge involves clearing mines, finding ships and trusting Putin

Is the buzz around ‘hot’ sectors and billion-dollar valuations missing the big picture of ed-tech?

PHOTO GALLERY (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

[ad_2]

Source link

Tags: gardenneighborspeopleplantsthrive
Share30Tweet19

Recommended For You

Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s Odesa port, key to grain deal

by 198 Japan News
July 23, 2022
0
Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s Odesa port, key to grain deal

Kyiv – Russian missiles struck Ukraine’s key Black Sea port of Odesa on Saturday, officials said, in an attack Kyiv described as a “spit in the face” of...

Read more

Ukraine’s grain challenge involves clearing mines, finding ships and trusting Putin

by 198 Japan News
July 22, 2022
0
Ukraine’s grain challenge involves clearing mines, finding ships and trusting Putin

Ukraine finally secured a deal aimed at restarting crucial Black Sea grain exports that have been crippled by Russia’s invasion. But getting them going won’t be easy. Government...

Read more

Is the buzz around ‘hot’ sectors and billion-dollar valuations missing the big picture of ed-tech?

by 198 Japan News
July 21, 2022
0
Is the buzz around ‘hot’ sectors and billion-dollar valuations missing the big picture of ed-tech?

A teacher teaches face to face, an online class after schools reopened at Vidya Bal Bhawan Senior Secondary School, Mayur Vihar on February 7, 2022 in New Delhi,...

Read more

Infy, Tech Mahindra et al. have dipped their toes in metaverse waters. Can they cash in on the mania?

by 198 Japan News
July 19, 2022
0
Infy, Tech Mahindra et al. have dipped their toes in metaverse waters. Can they cash in on the mania?

The history of India’s USD230 billion IT services businesses has mostly been that of playing catch up with global peers, including Accenture, Capgemini, IBM.Often India’s IT sector watchers...

Read more

Unicorn on a bike: how Rapido fought Ola and Uber to win big in small rides

by 198 Japan News
July 18, 2022
0
Unicorn on a bike: how Rapido fought Ola and Uber to win big in small rides

Representative ImageSynopsisThe latest Swiggy-led funding round put Rapido’s valuation around USD830 million. This is impressive for a startup that survived on just USD2 million in the first three...

Read more
Next Post
Chalo: Tech on board: Chalo navigates the tricky terrain of mass mobility with its ‘OS for buses’

Chalo: Tech on board: Chalo navigates the tricky terrain of mass mobility with its ‘OS for buses’

If COVID-19 rattled our food chain, climate change is a seismic shock

If COVID-19 rattled our food chain, climate change is a seismic shock

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
FTX to Help Voyager Customers, CEO Says Firm Willing to Deploy ‘Hundreds of Millions’ to Help Crypto Industry – Bitcoin News

FTX to Help Voyager Customers, CEO Says Firm Willing to Deploy ‘Hundreds of Millions’ to Help Crypto Industry – Bitcoin News

July 24, 2022
California governor declares emergency over wildfire near Yosemite

California governor declares emergency over wildfire near Yosemite

July 24, 2022
China accuses Japan of interfering in its internal affairs on Taiwan question

China accuses Japan of interfering in its internal affairs on Taiwan question

July 24, 2022
Kyodo News Digest: July 24, 2022

Kyodo News Digest: July 24, 2022

July 24, 2022
With an eye on China, Seoul seeks to prevent tech leaks

With an eye on China, Seoul seeks to prevent tech leaks

July 23, 2022
Brands of Baseball Gloves

Brands of Baseball Gloves

July 23, 2022
198 Japan News

198 Japan News will provide the latest news update as the government facing a growing challenging in preventing Japan from breaking apart along ethnic and religious lines.

198massmedia Group. USA. 3821 Dominion Drive, Dumfries, USA. 22026.

Toll Free 1 888 642 8433.
Contact: info@198japannews.com

LATEST UPDATES

FTX to Help Voyager Customers, CEO Says Firm Willing to Deploy ‘Hundreds of Millions’ to Help Crypto Industry – Bitcoin News

California governor declares emergency over wildfire near Yosemite

China accuses Japan of interfering in its internal affairs on Taiwan question

Kyodo News Digest: July 24, 2022

With an eye on China, Seoul seeks to prevent tech leaks

Brands of Baseball Gloves

UPDATE 1-France tells Iran it’s disappointed at lack of progress over nuclear talks

Neymar declares wish to stay at Paris Saint Germain

RECOMMENDED

No Content Available

Copyright © 2021 198 Japan News.

No Result
View All Result
  • Browse the latest updates from Japan
  • Landing Page
  • Buy JNews
  • Support Forum
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 198 Japan News.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In