The trial and tribulation of the first pioneers who challenged the forest wilderness without electricity, running water, or satisfactory roads. Overcoming these hardships and enduring natural disasters while demonstrating pioneering spirit, they surpassed the existing.

塩原高原ほうれんそう

【種類】

Spinacia oleracea L.

【本所】

栃木県那須塩原市黒磯幸町（栃木県開拓農業協同組合）

【名前の由来】

From Persian (an ancient region of Mesopotamia lying between the Euphrates delta and the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Desert) to China via the Silk Road (An ancient road that connected the East and the West). For this reason, it was named after the grass of the Persian Gulf (Islamic Republic of Iran).

【主な特徴】

“Nasushiobara City”, Located in the northern part of the prefecture 150 km from the metropolitan area, half of the city’s area is colored seasonally along the Hoki River, including Shiobara hot springs, Itamuro hot springs, and Sandogoya hot springs, which belong to the Nasu volcanic belt and have abundant hot water. It is occupied by the mountainous areas with abundant nature, which are tourist attractions such as the Shiobara Valley and the Marshland Marsh. The other half is a gently sloping alluvial fan sandwiched between the Naka River on the north side and the Hoki River on the south side. Urban areas are formed around Nasushiobara, Kuroiso, and Nishinasuno stations on the JR Tohoku Shinkansen and Utsunomiya lines, along National Route No. 4 and National Route No. 400. In addition, dairy farming is also active, and the crude production value of raw milk is the highest in Honshu (the fourth largest in Japan). At an altitude of over 200 m, it has a cool plateau climate. Precipitation is high in summer and low in winter, ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 mm per year. In the mountains, there is snow in winter, and snow remains even in late April. Jomon pottery excavated from the Tsukinokizawa site City-designated site April 1, 1984. In 1977, Tsukinokizawa (the ruins are large settlement ruins centered on the middle to late Jomon period (about 4,000 to 5,000 years ago). From here, many dwelling sites and bag-shaped clay jars (the bottom is widened by holes for food storage dug in the soil) are found. In addition, many relics were discovered, including the nationally designated important cultural property “Fukabachigata Earthenware”. The ruins are located on a low plateau, with the Tsumuro River on the south side and the Small River about 200 m northeast. The existence of the ruins has been known for a long time, and has been excavated five times (1932, 1935, 1952, 1977, 1991-1994). As a result of the 4th excavation survey accompanying the construction of a wide-area farm road in 1977, 31 pit dwellings, 110 or more earthen jars, paving stone remains, and stone arrangement from a range of 12 m in width and 180 m in length Remains have been found. The soil pots are concentrated from the center to the west of the plateau, and the ruins of residences are concentrated on the east side of the plateau, and it seems that there were restrictions on where to live. It is a Jomon pottery excavated from the ruins in the middle of the Jomon period (about 4,500 years ago), and it is a valuable pottery influenced by the southern part of Tohoku. Take the lead in improving Japan’s status in the international community, which began with the unequal treaty ; Served as Foreign Minister of the Aritomo YAMAGATA Cabinet : Play a major role in drafting the Constitution of the Empire of Japan-Opening of Aoki farm ; 那須別邸（那須塩原市青木）. Tochigi Pioneer Agricultural Cooperative supports our health and diet as an organization that produces and sells safe and secure agricultural and livestock products centered on specialized farmers in each business and strives for resource-recycling agriculture on a daily basis. The early pioneers who are members of the Tochigi Kaitaku Agricultural Cooperative Association were the government’s emergency reclamation projects approved by the Cabinet in November 1945 after the war (the Shidehara Cabinet was led by Baron Kijuro Shidehara of the Democratic Liberal Party). (1872-1951) was appointed as the 44th Prime Minister and lasted from October 9, 1945 to May 22, 1946. In response to the circumstances and requests for the construction of new farming villages following demobilization, large-scale land reclamation, land reclamation, and land improvement projects were implemented to achieve self-sufficiency in food and to encourage retired factory workers, military personnel, and others to return to farming. 2nd, Point 1, Cultivation (1) Cultivation area The cultivation area shall be 1,550,000 hectares (850,000 hectares in the mainland and 700,000 hectares in Hokkaido), and shall be completed in approximately five years. (a) Reclamation of small housing estates of less than approximately 50 hectares shall be carried out by organizations and individuals deemed appropriate by the local governor. , Local Agricultural Associations, other powerful organizations, and individuals shall be responsible for the implementation, and the local governor shall decide. Regarding the reclamation of collective land of approximately 300 hectares or more, the decision shall be made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. However, Hokkaido shall be considered separately. After receiving the sale of national forests in remote mountainous areas, they settled in various parts of the prefecture with the aim of becoming self-sufficient. Circumstances vary. In addition to repatriates from Manchuria, 15,000 people from 3,000 households and 8,000 hectares settled in 120 locations, including veterans and the third son of a farmer. Above all, it seems that the hardships of those who withdrew from Manchuria were unimaginable. The 1931 Manchurian Incident (September 18, 1931, at Liutiao Lake in the outskirts of Mukden, Republic of China, the Kwantung Army blew up the tracks of the South Manchurian Railway, which had been transferred to the Empire of Japan under the Treaty of Portsmouth). An armed conflict between Japan and the Republic of China that led to the conclusion of the Tanggu Agreement on May 31, 1933. The Chinese side called it the 918 Incident. The Japanese government, which established Manchukuo in the northeastern part of China in the early Showa period, immigrated the second and third sons of farmers to develop Manchuria as a countermeasure against the extreme poverty caused by the Great Depression in the early Showa period. The number of immigrants is said to be 320,000. The immigrants cultivated the land of Manchuria in a harsh natural environment, and were blessed with fertile soil, gradually establishing their lives. Social infrastructure such as hospitals and schools were also developed, and around 1941, it is said that there was a group of pioneers whose savings amounted to an average of 20,000 yen per household based on their income from agricultural and livestock products. 20,000 yen is more than 50 million yen when converted to the current amount. However, this kind of life changed completely with the defeat of the war in August 1945, and pioneer immigrants became refugees, and a difficult escape began. It seemed to have happened suddenly. With the unilateral abrogation of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact, the Soviet invasion began. At that time, all adult men were mobilized for military service, and it seems that most of the people who remained in the village were the elderly and women. The immigrants had personal belongings, cash, and portable weapons, and aimed to evacuate from the nearest train station are forced to evacuate on foot. The distance depends on the area where you live, but it seems that some people walked more than 1000 km. Many of the infants and the elderly ran out of strength along the way as they fled through the mountains and fields, facing air raids by the Soviet Army and attacks by bandits day and night. Some parents have no choice but to entrust their children to local Chinese on the way, but it seems that the children entrusted to them are orphans left behind. There were also people who despaired and committed mass suicide, and their escape seems to have been extremely tragic. Some of the adult men mobilized for military service were detained in Siberia, and many lost their lives in forced labor. Before the Soviet army advanced south, the Kwantung Army, which was said to be the elite to protect the immigrants, was hardly seen. In this way, the pioneer immigrants lost their precious families and friends and all their properties, and the Manchurian reclamation project, which aimed to build a utopia, turned into nothing. It seems that what awaited the settlers who found hope in post-war reclamation was a harsh climate and unfavorable land. Some were flat, such as the site of an airfield used by the Japanese military, and most of them were mountainous forests and plains. Even though the conditions of their locations are different, they all seem to have been barren lands that had been neglected in previous development projects. I was particularly surprised to find that some people settled in cold highlands at altitudes of 1,000 m or more, where the temperature in winter can drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius. It seems that it took a lot of labor and time to clear the land manually with a hoe in hand. Many of the crops were unsuitable for cultivation on acidic soil, and due to the cold weather damage, the harvest was difficult at first. In addition, there was no basic infrastructure such as water supply, electricity, and housing, and it seems that life was extremely difficult with undeveloped roads. For a while after they settled, they lived together, and in most of the pioneering associations, they were divided into groups such as those who earned cash from civil engineering work, those who cultivated the farmland, and those who cooked, and each seemed to work hard. During this period, roads and water supply were gradually improved and electricity was introduced with the support of the national and prefectural governments seems to have aimed for. It seems that the pioneers who cultivated the land with an indomitable spirit went through a process of trial and error to establish their respective businesses, such as dairy farming, vegetable farming, beef cattle farming, and pig farming. Taking advantage of the poor conditions, table-land japanese white radish became a designated vegetable production area in 1966, and table-land spinach became a designated vegetable production area in 1973. The designated area is a cold highland with an altitude of 700 m to 1200 m. I hear that the indomitable pioneering spirit of the first generation, who immigrated immediately after the war, has been handed down to the second and third generations, and that they are devoting themselves every day to becoming the core of Japanese agriculture for the next generation. The Nichien region, a designated production area, extends from Nasushiobara City in the northern part of Tochigi Prefecture through Shiobara Onsen Village to Nikko City via the slopes of Mt. The total length of the road is 51.3 km. The section between Nishinasuno and Shiobara Onsen is also called the Shiobara Kaido, and in 1884 Michitsune Mishima, a prefectural ordinance, repaired the road, and it seems that it became an important entrance to Shiobara Onsen. In 1972, a toll road (Nichien Momiji Line) was opened on the west side of Mt. The Tochigi Kaitaku Agricultural Cooperative seems to be promoting eco-friendly and earth-friendly recycling-oriented agriculture. Compost from pigs and cows is a valuable organic fertilizer. By effectively using high-quality compost produced by livestock farmers in the fields, it seems that the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is reduced as much as possible, creating environment-friendly soil. Pasture grass, corn, fodder rice, rice straw, etc. produced from the fields are used as fodder, and chaff is used as bedding. It seems that safe, secure, and delicious agricultural and livestock products are being produced while promoting such recycling-oriented agriculture. As a beef cattle business, the integrated production of milk and meat within the region seems to refer not only to the milk produced by dairy farmers, but also to the calves born from dairy cows that are fattened by fattening farmers in the region and produced as meat. The beef cattle production areas of the Kaitaku Kumiai are located in the famous Otawara and Nasukarasuyama cities in the northern part of the prefecture. Beef cattle producers introduce calves to be fattened from the Nasu Hoken Dairy Cooperative in Nasu-Shiobara City and dairy farmers in the Nasu area, and mainly produce the association’s own brands, “Tochigi Kaitaku Beef” and “Hokine Beef.” It seems that “Tochigi Kaitaku Beef” is a beef cattle that is fattened for about 20 months after birth by male Holstein breeds born in the Nasu Hoken Dairy Cooperative and dairy farmers in the Nasu area. “Hokine Beef” is a hybrid male and female that was born by crossing a Japanese Black male with a Holstein female raised by a farmer of the Nasu Hoken Dairy Cooperative for about 27 months (average) after birth. It seems to refer to fattened beef cattle. It seems that all of them are raised with “special breeding management and breeding methods” and provided to partner consumers (Seikatsu Club Co-op). This Nasu Hoken Dairy Cooperative also processes the raw milk produced by “special breeding management and breeding methods” into pasteurized milk sterilized at 72°C for 15 seconds at Shinsei Dairy Co., Ltd. and provides it to partner consumers (Seikatsu Club Co-op). seems to be It seems that there is no example in the whole country where raw milk and beef cattle are produced locally in the same area as the production base in the northern part of Tochigi Prefecture. After the war, the pig farming business began with a feverish effort to open up wasteland. In 1983, they partnered with Hirata Ranch in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, and began producing Hiramoku Sangenton pork from Tochigi Prefecture. At Hirata Farm, we have succeeded in achieving the best meat quality by selecting strains with particular emphasis on meat quality and crossing three types of pigs with clear breed strains. Regarding the environment for raising pigs, it seems that they are creating a comfortable breeding space for pigs. Sangenton pigs from Hirata Farm are raised freely in an open piggery with good ventilation. In addition, while normal sangen pigs are raised for about 150 to 180 days, Hirata Farm sangen pigs are raised over a long period of about 200 to 250 days. As for the difference between breeds, the mother of Sangenton is a breed that is a combination of “Landrace (L)”, which is healthy and gives birth to many children, and “Duroc (D)”, which is strong and has marbling. Black pork “Berkshire (B)” with fine meat quality. By crossing three types of pigs with clear breed lines, it seems that they were able to realize the best rice cake pig (LDB). The horticulture business covers a wide area from the plains in the southern and central parts of the prefecture to the plateau at an altitude of 1,200 m. The Tochigi Prefectural Cold Highland Vegetable Producers Association develops mainly cold highlands with an altitude of 700 m to 1,200 m in four cities and towns in the northern part of Tochigi Prefecture: Nikko City, Nasushiobara City, Shioya Town, and Nasu Town. An organization that farms on the land. Taking advantage of the cool climate even in summer, vegetables such as plateau spinach and plateau japanese white radish are grown on a large scale. The Tochigi Seikatsu Club Co-op Affiliated Production Area Liaison Council is a council organized by producers in various parts of the prefecture who produce Seikatsu Club’s vegetables and JA’s subcommittees. It seems that they are working to deepen cooperation between producers, promote the Seikatsu Club movement, and improve farming methods. In addition, I hear that they are actively trying to interact with members of Seikatsu Club, such as exchange meetings and agricultural experience activities. As a production area, the Shiobara Kogen Vegetable Production and Shipping Association is located in Nasushiobara City (former Shiobara Town), which is a little above the center of Tochigi Prefecture and is famous for its hot springs and suspension bridges. Growers seem to be planting mainly table-land spinach and table-land radish. Because it is a cool area even in summer, the cold in winter seems to be very severe. In this area with a lot of snow, there are ski resorts nearby. The Keichozan Production Association is located in Nikko City (former Fujiwara Town), which is famous for Kinugawa Onsen. In this cold highland with an altitude of about 1,200 m, 15 producers grow table-land spinach and table-land radish, taking advantage of the cool climate even in summer. In winter, the land is covered with about one meter of snow, and it seems that vegetables cannot be grown for four months in winter. Farming begins when the snow melts, and busy days continue until mid-November when the first snow falls. The Shakagatake Vegetables Association, which straddles Nikko City and Shioya Town, Shioya District, has five producers and seems to mainly produce radishes, table-land spinach, turnips, and summer strawberries. At an altitude of about 700 m to 1,000 m, it is a very steep land, and there are many places on the south-facing slopes, so it seems to be relatively warm in the same cold highlands. The amount of snowfall is relatively small, and some producers continue farming even in winter. In addition, at the foot of this mountain, it seems that you can draw the spring water of Shoninzawa, which has been selected as one of the 100 best waters in Japan. Nasu Heartful Farm seems to produce spinach, tomatoes, and green onions, mainly in Nasu Town, Nasu District, located in the north of Tochigi Prefecture. Thanks to the cold wind that blows down from Mt. Nasudake, the climate is cool even in the summer. As a single producer, it is characterized by a very large-scale agriculture, but it seems that it is actively working on creating local employment and training agricultural successors. The Kanamarubara Vegetable Production Group is located in Otawara City (former Yutsukami Village) in northern Tochigi Prefecture. It seems that there are cowsheds and pasture fields in the spacious hills, and the magnificent scenery spreads out. It seems that 8 producers are producing about 10 kinds of vegetables, including bloom cucumbers. About 90% of the vegetables sold to the co-op are characterized by the fact that no herbicides are used in all of the vegetables grown, and the use of compost from dairy and fattening farmers in the vicinity is used to promote environmentally friendly agriculture seems to be aiming for The Nikko Tomato Producers Association is a group of producers who grow tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in Oyama and Shimotsuke in the southern part of Tochigi Prefecture, and Haga Town in the central part of Tochigi Prefecture. It seems that the cultivation methods (pesticides, fertilizers) are selected with the aim of protecting the health of those who eat and produce, as well as the environment. It seems that producers with the same aspiration gathered from all over the prefecture and formed a group. Initially, it was established by 6 mini tomato producers, but now it seems that 25 people have joined the producers of tomatoes, eggplants, radishes, carrots, etc. Tochigi Prefecture is one of the leading manufacturing prefectures in Japan, and has developed as a food supply base for the Tokyo metropolitan area, blessed with abundant agricultural products and abundant, high-quality water. By maximizing the potential of the prefecture and promoting food-related industries, the prefecture aims to grow and develop the local economy with the theme of “food” and to create a vibrant “Food Valley Tochigi”. It seems that all prefectures are promoting Food-related industries cover a wide range of fields, from primary to tertiary industries such as agriculture, food manufacturing, distribution, retail, tourism and service industries. great effect is expected.