Farm
Our farm, named “FARM THE FUTURE” is characterized by this traditional way of old Okinawa style farming, which divide about 9920㎡of vast land into 20 blocks by windbreak forests.
Few farms in Okinawa still keep farming in this way at present. Also crops in our farm have been grown up in the field with enriched soil with organic fertilizer made from kitchen garbage and unused resources. No agrichemical and chemical fertilizer is added in cultivation at all. This is to grow crops with rich taste and pleasing flavor they essentially have.
We eagerly hope all our guests to feel something nostalgic by eating them as well as to recognize the preciousness of them by seeing the process of growth here with us.
In the process of farming, a lot of difficulties and pleasures are waiting for us: We may struggle out of the attack by big typhoon and may receive comfort by seeing animals visiting the farm and flowers blooming all together in spring.
We would like our guests to watch all these processes and share the great impression received from nature with us.
Now we are trying to achieve 2 different purposes for further improvement of farm.
One is to grow indigenous varieties which are familiar in Okinawa or distinguishing by economic revitalization ( like Papaya, Guava, Herbs and other vegetables and fruits) to protect them.
The other is to challenge the cultivation of new products which receive less attention now but be very suitable to climate here.( like Coffee, Atemoya, Lychee and so on). Though we are still preparing for our new challenge, we always think how we can share all these experience with our guests.
You are always welcomed to look around our farm. Please feel free to contact us if you wish so. We are pleased to show you around it. Please feel the growth of plants in our farm and taste them in our restaurant.
You will surely be satisfied with their daintiness and fresh flavor.
We have been growing Papaya and harvest them while they are young. Green Papaya is so delicate that they hate ill-drained fields though they need much water. They are also broken easily by strong wind like typhoon so that we need to protect them by windbreak forest but a lot of sunlight is needed to keep their field well-drained.
Furthermore, we need to be very careful how to fertilize them, otherwise it will make their taste bad. Careful attention to details and long-term schedule is requested to grow them.
Time of harvest is also very important. The best moment of it is only just before they
start to ripen. Green Papayas harvested in this moment contain much enzyme
and have rich taste. And their beautiful appearance relieves the heart of all of us.
We believe keep growing those indigenous varieties and improving the way of
cultivation will expand possibility of food market in Okinawa.
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Peel the skin of Papaya, cut them into strips and immerse them into water saute them or eat fresh. Enjoy their crunchy texture.
Now we are planting Papaya, native Banana, Guava, Atemoya, Coffee, Dragon fruit, Star fruit and Lychee. It will take several years to be able to harvest them as we needed to start breaking up the rough land for planting. Environmental factor of farm, like water, sunlight, wind and quality of soil, is quite different depending on where we plant them. We have to keep watching out and transplant them if needed. It would be grateful if our guests can watch those growing process with us.
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We occasionally update a blog of current condition of farm.
Please check and finding the latest news!
Farm description
Shima-Banana is rarely seen now even in Okinawa and quite difficult to buy seedlings of it. We could get those precious seedlings by the kindness of the local and we are growing them with caution. Basically they are not the plant we can expect stable harvest as they are easily beaten by typhoon.
In addition, average amount of this crop is about twentieth part of
one of normal banana. However savor of this, a little sour but has
rich taste like a kind of passion fruits, is unexpectedly delicious
and be worth making every effort for it.
Cultivation of coffee is a new challenge for us. As it is not a common plant to grow
in Okinawa, we are growing them through a trial and error process.
For example, they hate direct sunlight so we planted them between the trees of
Bananas and Papayas in order to make shade. All our staffs are longing for their
harvest and the day we can drink homegrown coffee together.
We usually take some rest having tea or something to drink after hard farm work.
This house, to tell the truth, is made of waste materials. Especially we made the roof of it of precious red roof tile used during the war and put a plaster Shiisa on it
in order to give atmosphere of Okinawa.
