Training Day 273 | Hazelnut Cultivation, A Spring of Re-challenge ~From the Fields of Atsuma, Hokkaido~
Irankarapte! (Ainu for "Hello!")
My favorite ramen is miso ramen.
I am Hata, a trainee who has encountered truly delicious miso ramen since moving to Hokkaido.
Thank you for always reading.
This spring, a new challenge has begun at Hatashima Haskap Farm.
One of these is blueberries. I intend to plant 13 varieties of seedlings and spend a year experimenting to see how each one adapts to this land. In this place where honeyberries (haskap) have already taken root, how will the blueberries grow? Every time I pass by the field, I spend my days talking to the young seedlings quietly waiting to sprout.
And another challenge is hazelnuts.
When you hear the word hazelnut, what image comes to mind?
That fragrant nut used in cookies and cakes. It is also known as one of the "world's top three nuts," alongside almonds and cashews.
Actually, I tried this last year as well, but the result was... a failure. The seedlings I planted in the spring did not take root and simply withered away.
However, I just couldn't give up.
I decided to try again, determined to make it work this year. This time, I ordered a special variety called "Tonda Gentile" from Piedmont, Italy. These young seedlings arrived from Italy with the cooperation of an agricultural processing company in Nagano Prefecture that focuses on cultivating "Hasibami" (the Japanese name for hazelnut).
I soak the roots in water and plant them one by one, feeling the texture of the soil.
For planting, I used commercially available "potting soil for fruit trees and flowering trees." I dug the holes deep and adjusted them while balancing drainage and water retention. Finally, I watered them thoroughly to settle the soil and roots, and it was complete.
There are three main reasons why I have high expectations for hazelnuts.
One is that they are low maintenance.
It is said that they can basically be grown without pesticides, fertilizers, or irrigation, which also reduces the burden on the environment.
The second is that the harvest season is different from haskap.
Since it does not overlap with the main haskap harvest, farm work is not concentrated, allowing for a balanced workload throughout the year.
The third is that they are highly nutritious and can be used for making sweets at the cafe.
For example, if I could use fragrant hazelnuts as an accent in the baked goods planned for the log cafe "Risu to Kamado"... While envisioning such a future, I started the experiment this year with just four seedlings.
If they take root properly and grow, I might be able to have my first harvest in three years.
In this land of Atsuma, Hokkaido, I am walking one step at a time, quietly and surely, dreaming of the day a "Hazelnut Forest" will be born.
Oh, by the way, I renewed the new farm website in March.
It is called "Squirrels, Ovens, and Honeyberries." It is a site for both the farm and the cafe.
Also, I have created an official LINE account.
Please come visit us from the profile link.
If you register for our official LINE, we plan to offer you a special discount coupon 😀
↓↓↓↓ Register here ↓↓↓↓
Thank you once again for reading until the end.
Sui unukar an ro! (In the Ainu language, this means "Let's meet again!")
End
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☆ I am on Instagram!
○ Click here for the official farm Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/hatashima_haskap_farm/
○ Trainee Hata's training diary, etc.
https://www.instagram.com/eeyoredog/
○ Baking, etc.
https://www.instagram.com/spatula_of_squirrel/
○ About our mascot Shiba Inu, Oto
https://www.instagram.com/otogram1120/