Harnessing the power of nature
Following the order of nature
At Masanobu Fukuoka Natural Farm, we are devoted to farming on a daily basis. We value engaging with the plants and animals, and the surrounding environment they inhabit. This may seem elemental, but we believe it is of the utmost importance.
Prepare the mind for work in the fields.
Sense the fragrance of the changing season.
Determine the right timing to approach.
Feel the distance between yourself, and the plants and animals.
In today’s constantly changing natural environment, it has become somewhat difficult to approach agriculture with the concept of one single farming method. But this also means that we live in an age when we need to breathe in harmony with nature.
Here, we explain some of our work on the farm. It may not be as special as people expect, but for us it is everything. We believe it is an invaluable dialog with nature.
If nature is left to nature,
nature will restore itself naturally.
However this does not mean doing nothing.
Today, the words Masanobu wrote in The One-Straw Revolution dwell in our hearts as guideposts.
The narrow, densely forested path is a doorway to look within yourself.
Passing along the path every day, we are made aware of the pulsating beat of nature and our great responsibility to all. And, this galvanizes us.
The trees gently envelop us.
With minimal pruning, the trees vigorously reach for the skies.
Climbing the branches, we find ourselves in a sea of citrus.
We harvest the fruits we find there with utmost care.
Coexisting with nature is a collaboration with those who understand.
We believe that there is nothing that can be removed from the natural world. That is also true of insects.
Therefore, we do not eliminate insects with pesticides.
Because they are understanding supporters of our farm.
Born from dialogue with the trees.
We value the balance and harmony of the natural world, which cannot be expressed with arithmetical concepts of addition and subtraction.
One example is weeding under the blazing sun, without the use of pesticides.
Our dripping sweat reveals how strenuous this is, but it is a precious task.
Beauty is not everything.
The produce is fresh and juicy, but it has black spots on the peel.
This is proof that it is pesticide-free.
We do not wax our citrus to make it visually appealing. We ship it, as is.
We feel that this is very natural.
Irregularities are natural.
Produce is often classified and shipped by size or sugar content.
Much of the produce that does not meet shipping standards and is classified as non-standard is rejected and discarded.
For us farmers, it is very painful to see produce with nowhere to go.
Therefore, we ship a mix of small and large produce together unless it is oversized.