Agriculture
Towards the future
It is also our important mission to carefully protect the global environment and pass on agriculture to the future.
We will introduce three initiatives we are promoting for sustainable agricultural management, including circular agriculture, which involves recycling waste products and vegetable scraps generated from livestock farming and agriculture into resources.
establishing recycling-oriented agriculture
We will recycle livestock waste and food waste generated during food production as resources, realizing sustainable agriculture that is kind to both people and the planet.
Task backgroundPig farms produce pig waste every day. It is natural for living things to take nutrients from food and excrete. The only problem is how to handle the excrement. Will it be treated as waste or will it be reused as a resource? Either way, it will cost you.
concrete efforts
Building a Flow for Utilizing Resources
Ark Tategamori has been exploring sustainable agriculture from the very beginning.
We collect not only pig waste from our pig farms, but also food scraps from our restaurants and ham factories, and transform them into organic fertilizer. This fertilizer is used on our own fields and is also popular among local farmers.
The wheat and vegetables harvested from our fields are used in cooking at our farm restaurant, in the production of pork buns, bread, and sweets, and are also delivered to customers through our direct sales outlet and online store. This is the form of circular agriculture that we have realized. We are establishing sustainable agriculture through the effective use of resources.
Mixed fertilizer made from raw materials for 3 types of livestock
This is a rare organic fertilizer made from raw materials from all three types of livestock: pigs, chickens, and cattle. It achieves an exceptionally well-balanced composition of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Naturally derived ingredients
We manufacture organic fertilizers using naturally derived raw materials, primarily livestock waste, vegetable scraps, and food waste from within our group, as well as livestock waste and food residue from Ichinoseki City.
Long-term fermentation and maturation & high-temperature aerobic fermentation
The high-temperature aerobic fermentation process kills weed seeds and pathogens, resulting in a highly safe fertilizer. Furthermore, the long-term fermentation and maturation process (approximately 60 to 90 days) ensures that the fertilizer undergoes sufficient decomposition and becomes fully mature.
“The benefits of "humus"
Humus is organic matter that is produced over long periods of time through decomposition by microorganisms in the soil. Soil rich in humus promotes aggregation and can retain a large amount of basic ions, thus achieving high nutrient retention capacity.
in our own group company
Manufacture and sale of organic fertilizer
We collect livestock waste and food scraps as valuable resources and manufacture and sell organic fertilizer that nourishes the soil in fields. We use it within our own group and also provide it to local farmers.
Wakaba Co., Ltd. Wakaba Co., Ltd.
challenge to organic farming without pesticides
Aiming for food safety and environmental protection, we are committed to agriculture that utilizes the natural power of the environment without using chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
Task backgroundThe land at Ark Tategamori was cleared in the 1980s as part of a national agricultural development project. However, it was a desert-like land full of clayey soil with absolutely no nutrients for farming, so initially, there were few people willing to cultivate it. It was at that time that we came across this land.
concrete efforts
01 Everything starts with soil preparation
The founder, driven by the desire to "revive Japanese agriculture and pass it on to the next generation as a promising industry," tackled a vast 100-hectare plot of land. Initially, he was at a loss because the land was unsuitable for crop cultivation as it was. But then he realized it was all about perspective. The fact that it had never been used for agriculture before meant it was virgin land, completely free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. "Since it's such a beautiful field, let's make the most of it," he decided, and began by preparing the soil. That marked the beginning of organic farming using compost made from pig manure.
02 believe in the power of nature
The first crop we grew was green asparagus. Then we started with Nanbu wheat, a local flour from Iwate Prefecture. While working on improving the soil, we gradually expanded our cultivation to include herbs and various kinds of vegetables. We still maintain a pesticide-free farming regime, which has resulted in a large number of active microorganisms in our fields, and we have received endorsements from research institutions.
03 feed manufacturing
The feed rice is grown by local farmers who utilize fallow fields. Using fallow fields for feed rice production leads to the effective use of farmland and is an initiative that supports local agriculture. Organic fertilizer manufactured by our group company, Wakaba, is used in the cultivation of the feed rice, creating a system of resource circulation within the community. Furthermore, sourcing feed rice and feed ingredients from local farmers also leads to economic benefits for the farmers themselves. We will contribute to the revitalization of local agriculture by keeping both "resource circulation" and "economic circulation" in motion.
04 Thoughts on pesticide-free cultivation
Pesticide-free farming is incredibly labor-intensive. The biggest challenge is weeds. Our wheat fields, covering approximately 35 hectares (equivalent to seven Tokyo Domes), sometimes require early morning weeding by all staff members in early summer during years when weeds are particularly rampant. There have been many times when we've had to sadly harvest the wheat green because we couldn't completely eliminate the weeds. Pesticide-free farming doesn't yield the same results as conventional farming methods. However, our wheat can be transformed into bread, pork buns, and sweets that you can enjoy with peace of mind and that will end up on your table. We work hard at farming every day with a strong desire, imagining the smiles of those who will be happy with our products.
organic fertilizer
We recycle livestock and agricultural waste, vegetable scraps, and food waste from restaurants and processing plants into organic fertilizer. By giving a new purpose to things that would otherwise be thrown away, we support local resource recycling and sustainable agriculture.
no pesticides
To bring out the inherent strength of vegetables and wheat, we practice cultivation that is as close to nature as possible. We are committed to pesticide-free cultivation that does not rely on unnecessary substances and is environmentally conscious.
Organic JAS certified
We have obtained organic JAS certification and practice organic farming based on strict standards from cultivation to management. We cultivate crops in a way that brings out their inherent potential while also being environmentally conscious.
organic wheat
We value the health of the soil and the natural growth potential of the crops, and cultivate organic wheat in accordance with organic JAS standards. We practice sustainable agriculture while being mindful of our environmental impact.
wheat straw
The straws served at Till's, the restaurant on the farm, are made from straw grown on the farm. Because the straw comes from organically grown wheat cultivated without pesticides, these straws are safe and reliable for your use.
Ark Tategamori's pesticide-free vegetables
At the farm market located in Ark Tategamori, we offer a wide variety of "safe vegetables" that are grown using organic fertilizers produced from sustainable agriculture, with meticulous soil preparation and without the use of chemically synthesized pesticides, available in seasons.
See pesticide-free vegetables See pesticide-free vegetables
efforts to preserve satochi and satoyama
To restore the Tategamori Plateau, which had been degraded by agricultural development, to fertile land once again, we are creating an environment where colorful and vibrant flowering trees can grow.
Task backgroundWhen the national agricultural land development project was underway, the Tategamori Plateau region saw its lush green mountains disappear due to the development, leaving behind a landscape of barren red soil. Upon seeing this, the founder resolved, "Let's plant 210,000 trees here by the 21st century and restore the greenery!"
concrete efforts
Creating a garden of healing and inspiration
Thanks to over 30 years of tree-planting efforts, the pasture is now adorned with a variety of flowering trees and shrubs, including azaleas, magnolias, cherries, plums, dogwood, cornelian cherry, fir, maple, and enkianthus, which add color to the four seasons.
In addition, there is the "Fragrant Breeze Garden," which consists of three areas: lavender, roses, and herbs; the "Dream Hill Garden" and "Rainbow Hill Garden," where tulips and salvias bloom; and the "Shining Hill," where rapeseed flowers and sunflowers color the area throughout the seasons, providing visitors to Ark Tategamori with healing and inspiration.
Fragrant Wind Garden
An English-style garden consisting of a lavender garden, a rose garden, and a herb garden that spreads out in the farm entrance area. Enjoy a leisurely walk while enjoying the scent of seasonal herbs and flowers.
Yumemigaoka Garden
A garden with a dream-like scenery on a site of about 1 hectare. You can enjoy seasonal flowers, including spring tulips.
Niji no Oka Garden
In spring, tulips and nemophila bloom, and from summer to autumn, a variety of gorgeous flowers, chosen each year, come into full bloom, creating a rainbow of colors to enjoy.
shining hill
A superb view point overlooking the surrounding mountains and Ark Tategamori ranch.
Ark Tategamori Flower Garden
A wide variety of flowers and trees are planted on the vast grounds, allowing you to feel the richness of nature up close. Enjoy the scenery of Tategamori that changes with the seasons.
See about Flower Garden See about Flower Garden