Working as a Farmer 〜 The Impact of Tokyo Ennou Volunteer 〜
Saika Arai, Mana Onishi
The number of Japanese agricultural workers has decreased by roughly 40 percent in the last 20 years. However, about 8 million farmers continue to bolsterJapanese society and the economy. Ms.Shiraishi who lives in Nerima ward with her family is one of them.
EIZY members visited their farm and interviewed her about the agricultural work.
EIZY members visited their farm and interviewed her about the agricultural work.
Q: What makes your job worthwhile?
A: We are satisfied by the appreciation from the customers, as there is an opportunity to communicate with them and hear their opinions. There are some regular customers that often come to buy from us, which motivates us.
A: We are satisfied by the appreciation from the customers, as there is an opportunity to communicate with them and hear their opinions. There are some regular customers that often come to buy from us, which motivates us.
Q: Are there any difficulties working as a farmer?
A: Since we manage all the agricultural tasks, we have to pay for any procrastination in our daily routine. In addition, some tasks are dependent on the weather, and therefore may increase more than other types of work. Today, some of the work is done by volunteers, the workers of Tokyo Ennou Volunteers.
【About volunteers】
Q: What do you think of the volunteers?
A: When you hear the word “volunteer,” you might come up with taking part of the public interest like the Olympics or picking up some garbage. On the other hand, agricultural volunteer activities are unique actions that aim to help the circular flow economy for free.
【benefit】 On our farm, 60% of jobs revolve around shipping. Some vegetables have lots of process such as pulses until shipping, however, for the sake of volunteer’s participation, we can increase those goods, production and productivity.
.JPG)
【Breakdown】
Q: What is the gender ratio?
A: It depends on its intermediary. In the case of the Tokyo Ennou Volunteer, the ratio is 4:6, men to women.
Q: What form of recruitment do you use?
A: On our farm, we use three tools: Jimoty, Instagram, and the Tokyo Ennou Volunteer program. Other farms accept some volunteers from the municipality in Nerima: the platform requires one year of training, and most of the volunteers who register with the municipality are elderly people.
A: On our farm, we use three tools: Jimoty, Instagram, and the Tokyo Ennou Volunteer program. Other farms accept some volunteers from the municipality in Nerima: the platform requires one year of training, and most of the volunteers who register with the municipality are elderly people.
Q: What age are most of the volunteers?
A: Thisalso depends on its intermediary and day.
On weekdays, elderly people who have retired from their jobs or have finished taking care of their children.
On weekends, working adults who want some refreshment or students who do extracurricular activities as homework work. There are also several motivations for volunteers: for instance, believing that food production is essential for life in Japan, , to have conversations with new people or just to try something new. Ms. Shiraishi said “I hope every volunteer has fun and has a great experience”.
Farmer’s social credibility is high because most of them are community-based and have settled down.
Q: What would you like to say to the youth?
"Just do what you can do with your life where you live."
"Just do what you can do with your life where you live."
Tokyo Ennou Volunteer is the project to make your wishs come true...
“volunteers want to encourage farmer based in Tokyo”
This project has three features.
1. Easy matching within the site.
You can easily participate in volunteer activities by looking at the dates and areas you want to support farming.
1. Easy matching within the site.
You can easily participate in volunteer activities by looking at the dates and areas you want to support farming.
2. Safe operation by a public interest incorporated foundation.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Promotion has screened all volunteer applications from farmers in Tokyo, ensuring a high level of safety.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Promotion has screened all volunteer applications from farmers in Tokyo, ensuring a high level of safety.
3. Easy to participate, starting from half a day
You can help with farm work in a short period of time, starting from just a couple of hours. Also, you can enjoy the great taste of farm work such as harvesting and pruning vegetables.
You can help with farm work in a short period of time, starting from just a couple of hours. Also, you can enjoy the great taste of farm work such as harvesting and pruning vegetables.
※Applications for volunteer farmer assistance from My Page must be submitted by 19:00 on the day before the event if the event starts in the morning. For afternoon start time: 10:00 on the day of application
Frequently asked questions (excerpts)
Q. I have no experience in farming at all.
A.On the day of the event, farmers will be on hand in the fields to guide you through the work, so please feel free to participate even if you have no experience.
A.On the day of the event, farmers will be on hand in the fields to guide you through the work, so please feel free to participate even if you have no experience.
Q. I am working, so it is difficult for me to participate on a regular basis.
A. It is okay if you are not able to participate on a regular basis. You are welcome to join us just once!
A. It is okay if you are not able to participate on a regular basis. You are welcome to join us just once!
Q. Can I choose where to go (farmer)? I am worried about compatibility.
You can choose your destination (farmer) each time you apply.
Of course, you can also repeat your favorite farmer's recruitment!
You can choose your destination (farmer) each time you apply.
Of course, you can also repeat your favorite farmer's recruitment!
Q. Is transportation provided?
A. This is a free volunteer program, so neither the secretariat nor the farmers will provide transportation expenses.
A. This is a free volunteer program, so neither the secretariat nor the farmers will provide transportation expenses.
Q. How long does it take to do the work at one time?
A. Many farmers set aside 2 to 3 hours per session.
Please choose your preferred time slot from the application information.
If you bring your own lunch, you can participate for a full day, morning and afternoon.
A. Many farmers set aside 2 to 3 hours per session.
Please choose your preferred time slot from the application information.
If you bring your own lunch, you can participate for a full day, morning and afternoon.
Q. Is there an age limit for registering as a wide-area agriculture support volunteer?
A. You can register as long as you are a high school student or older (the first day of April after you reach 15 years of age).
There is no upper age limit, but you must be physically fit enough to do outdoor farm work.
Basic personal belongings
・Boots or Tabi Shoes
・Farm work gloves (if you do not have these, please ask the farmer for them)
・Clothes for farm work (long sleeves and long pants are recommended for protection from the sun and insects)
・Drinks (water bottles or plastic bottles)
・Lunch (if necessary)
・Bags for soiled items
・Boots or Tabi Shoes
・Farm work gloves (if you do not have these, please ask the farmer for them)
・Clothes for farm work (long sleeves and long pants are recommended for protection from the sun and insects)
・Drinks (water bottles or plastic bottles)
・Lunch (if necessary)
・Bags for soiled items
If you will be working in the rain, please bring a kappa (top and bottom) or rain suit.
・Towel
・Hat
・Mask (to prevent heat stroke during the work, please put on and take off the mask as needed, keeping space between people)
*Other necessary items, if any, are listed in the application guide.
・Towel
・Hat
・Mask (to prevent heat stroke during the work, please put on and take off the mask as needed, keeping space between people)
*Other necessary items, if any, are listed in the application guide.
If you are injured during volunteer activities, you can rest assured that the secretariat has accident insurance. If the insurance company recognizes that your injury is covered by the insurance, you will be reimbursed.
.JPG)
To farmers who would like to consider volunteering
One of the most major soil in Japan
Kuroboku soil: Andosols (;Udands) are intrazonal soil* resulting from volcanic products*. After volcanic eruptions, volcanic ash, the raw material of Andosols, is carried by the wind and deposited on the ground surface. When the deposited area is humid, plants grow well, and a large amount of humus is produced in the process of decomposing the remains of the plants. Because of Japan's humid environment, humus-rich black magma soil is widely distributed in the country. After the WWⅡ, this solid has named by James Thorp who is the professor of solid: the name delivered from Japanese an (暗 'dark') and do (土 'soil'), synonymous with kuroboku (黒ぼく).The color is black and humus are abundant. When you walk on the soil when it's dried, it sounds “Boku Boku” because the bulk density is small.According to NARO, the area where Andosols is distributed is about 31% of Japan's total land area, and it is widely used as fields (common fields, pastures, and orchards) in agriculture. About 47% of the fields in Japan are covered with Andosols. Many urban farmers, not only Shiraishi Farm, which the author visited this time, use Andosols.The same type of soil is known to occur in volcanic ash areas of Southeast Asia, Africa, New Zealand, Central America, and Alaska. Globally, however, Andosols are rare, with their distribution accounting for less than 1% of the total terrestrial area.
.JPG)
[Classification of Andosols]
Groups based on the degree of soil development and the environment in which the soil is generated (moisture, parent material, etc.),Andosols can be divided into the following six soil groups
・Immature black earths (D1), which are undeveloped as soils
・over-humidified gley black earths (D2)
・humid black earths (D3)
・brown black earths (D4),which are rich in organic matter but not black
・non-allophanic black earths (D5), which contain crystalline clay
・allophenic black earths (D6), which consist mainly of amorphous clay minerals (allophane)
・over-humidified gley black earths (D2)
・humid black earths (D3)
・brown black earths (D4),which are rich in organic matter but not black
・non-allophanic black earths (D5), which contain crystalline clay
・allophenic black earths (D6), which consist mainly of amorphous clay minerals (allophane)
Shiraishi Noen
Shiraishi Noen, located in Nerima Ward (Western of Tokyo), which has a history of 350 years from the Edo period. It produces and sells about 100 kinds of vegetables and blueberries. The farm has been farming in Nerima Ward, which is famous for its Nerima Daikon radish. Nerima is fertile land and very suitable for growing asparagus. We deliver the freshest asparagus from the farmland closest to the city center. The vegetables are sold at nearby supermarkets and also delivered to restaurants in Nerima Ward. They also have a 120-plot experience farm for blueberry picking, provide food for school lunches and children's cafeterias, and accept elementary and junior high school students for hands-on learning. Asparagus is cultivated by Shiraishi Farm, and sorting and packing is done by the Katakuri Welfare Workshop. Katakuri Welfare Workshop is entrusted by Nerima Ward Council of Social Welfare as a designated management facility and operates.
At Katakuri Welfare Workshop, where people with intellectual disabilities attend demonstrating their individual personalities and strengths. With the Katakuri Welfare Workshop taking care of the sorting and packing, Shiraishi Farm is able to concentrate on managing the cultivation of asparagus. We hope that this project will bear fruit as part of our efforts to create a community where people with disabilities can live in their own way in their own neighborhoods, and where anyone can be both a supporter and a support recipient, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.https://www.agrivolunteer-tokyo.jp
.JPG)
Small advice from Ms. Shiraishi
Ms. Shiraishi: The price of vegetables fluctuates. One of the recommendations is to buy them when they are cheapest. This is because low prices mean that the vegetables are in season, and therefore they are most delicious. Also, eating these vegetables seasoned with a little expensive salt makes you able to enjoy the flavor of the ingredients.
