[Notice] New products added!
① Small Vegetable and Bouquet Set 2,500 yen (tax included) - A set containing vegetables grown using Amedoji's natural farming methods worth 1,500 yen and an organic garden bouquet grown from seeds worth 1,000 yen.
② [Limited Time/Quantity] 40 Sweet Peas with a Captivating Fragrance - 1,200 yen
③ [Limited Time/Quantity] Various Ways to Enjoy Calendula 20 Pieces 1,100 yen
You can purchase it from the product page.
Rainfall and nighttime temperatures are on the rise, and summer is finally approaching.
In recent years, it seems like we've been hit by midsummer-like heat from around June, but this year the temperature seems to be rising slowly. On crisp, sunny days, a refreshing cool breeze blows over the flooded rice fields.
In such pleasant weather, the other day we were able to successfully hold a horse-drawn plowing experience event hosted by Ame Dojin!
This year marks the third time this event has been held at Pitara Village. We have invited the Yokoyama family, who live in Takato, Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, and lead a self-sufficient life plowing their fields with their horses, to share their horse-plowing techniques and how to interact with horses in an enjoyable way.
The majority of participants were accompanied by children, and when the horses entered the flooded rice field, many children cheered and ran up to the horses, covered in mud. Some children were a little grumpy at first, but as soon as the horses began to walk through the rice field, their expressions brightened up and they quickly got into the mud.
In the rice fields with the horses, it feels like the boundaries between adults and children, friends and strangers disappear. Everyone got together, played in the mud, and spent time with the horses. Strangely enough, just having the horses there lightened the atmosphere, and I felt like people's consciousnesses naturally began to connect. I'm not sure if connecting with the horses reminds us of something important, or if the horses' vibrations have an effect on us, but every time we hold a gathering, I feel like an energy is being generated that makes us all feel positive.
Try pulling it by hand and you'll see just how powerful it is!
We had mochi pounding for lunch♪
In the afternoon we also had the opportunity to try horse riding.
The sight of a white horse with its mane flowing as it marches through the green rice fields under a clear, crisp sky is simply captivating. It makes you imagine how beautiful the original landscape of Japan must have been when horses still lived with people.
We want to one day bring this scenery back into everyday life, so we want to continue to do what we can now, little by little. We are currently holding events in support of Yokoyama, who is preserving and passing on the techniques of horse-drawn farming, which are on the verge of extinction, and how to interact with horses. However, we learn a lot every time, not only about the horses, but also about our interactions with the people involved, and we can see the enormous challenges that must be overcome before anyone can start raising a horse.
Fortunately, I met the Yokoyama family, who live in Takato, about an hour and a half from here in Hakushu, and I've been able to learn about living with horses while still working as a farmer. I hope to continue deepening my relationship with them and getting closer to living with horses!
This year, a person who regularly participates in our events invited Yokoyama-san to the neighboring town of Fujimi to hold a horse-drawn plowing experience event, which was a great success. The circle of horse-drawn plowing is steadily expanding.
We plan to hold the event again next year, so if you're reading this article, please come along and participate!
