Collection: Matsutoshi Ueno
Producer: Ueno Matsutoshi Production area: Shichijo-cho, Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture Main product: Rice Use of pesticides: None Use of fertilizers: None
A veteran rice grower
We would like to introduce you to Matsutoshi Ueno, who is engaged in organic rice cultivation in Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Before entering the world of natural farming, he served as the president of an agricultural cooperative and practiced a variety of farming methods, including conventional, organic, and no-till farming.
Just as they were trying to grow pesticide-free rice, they came across Purely, who now practice natural farming without the use of fertilizers or pesticides.
"Rice can only be grown once a year. The weather changes every year. That's why there are no amateurs or experts in rice farming; everyone is a first-year farmer.
Among these, what people can do by practicing natural farming is to prepare seedlings, plowing the rice field to make it uniform, planting the rice, managing the water, and harvesting.
Even if there are insects, we can't spray them with pesticides, so all we can do is watch them.
As farmers, we feel that we have to do something, but in reality, it is better not to do anything. I realized that we do not understand what nature is.
For ordinary farmers, switching from conventional and organic farming that has been practiced for many years to farming methods that do not use any pesticides or fertilizers is a change of old habits, and is not an easy step to take.
Normally, people are very reluctant to use pesticides due to fear of insects and diseases in September.
We were just about to start growing pesticide-free rice when we were asked to grow naturally grown rice.
We now know that it is possible to grow rice without using fertilizer.
The word "food" is written as "make people better," so I'm working hard to create food that will make people feel better when they eat it."
According to Matsutoshi Ueno
Interview with Matsutoshi Ueno