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[Category Award] Yatsugatake Raw Corn
NAGANO GOOD DESIGN Category Award
"Yatsugatake corn"
By designing a new form of agriculture
Promoting the appeal of the local community and pursuing sustainability
Vegi Bang Co., Ltd. (Haramura)
Orii Yusuke, CEO of Hamara Noen
Hara Village is located on the Yatsugatake Central Plateau, which is over 1,000m above sea level. There is a large amount of sunlight, and the temperature difference between the day and night is large, and in summer the daily temperature difference is over 15°C. Yatsugatake corn is made using this environment. The fruit skin is thin and rich in moisture, making it easy to eat raw. It is so sweet and fresh that you can eat like fruit, and the average sugar content is about 20 degrees, exceeding the average melon (16 degrees sugar content). It is described as "sweeter than melons", and over 170,000 bottles are shipped every year.
From production to sales, Orii Yusuke, the representative of Hamara Noen (formerly HAMARA FARM), who was born and raised in Haramura, and Yanagisawa Takuya, a classmate of a hometown and childhood friend. Since Orii's grandparents were originally farmers, in 2011, with the desire to "enjoy farming as a job," he founded a farm with the meaning of "Hara-Friends" in the middle of Hara Village. Fruit lover Orii focused on corn as a fruit-like vegetable that can be grown in the cool Hara Village, which is not suitable for growing fruits.
Corn is a crop that is susceptible to the growth environment. Therefore, the blessed environment at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake, fertile land and abundant cool water produced outstanding sugar content. When it first sold in 2012, it quickly gained popularity through word of mouth and other media. Therefore, the brand was launched as "Yatsugatake corn" to be commercialized as delicious corn that can be eaten raw at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake, and to spread it nationwide.
A specially designed gift box that can be placed vertically with the corn raised. The design will be renewed for the 2023 edition (photos are for illustrative purposes only, and design may change)
Our particular focus is on the timing and freshness of the harvest. Each bottle is picked every morning, when it is ready to eat, before sunrise, and the freshly harvested items are shipped in a special freshness-retaining film. Also, when corn is placed sideways, it tries to get up and consumes sugar as an energy source, so it can be set up in a special vertical box and sold online or face-to-face. They are cultivated over a long summer with about 10 young producers, and are promoted as a local specialty by having them be sold and offered as menus at approximately 30 locations, including local accommodation, leisure facilities, and restaurants.
The packaging was also carefully designed and was devised with a local classmate designer. Japan Gift Awards in 2015 Nagano With the award winning and sales channels expanding, we also established a fresh vegetable wholesaler, Vejipangu Co., Ltd., to meet diverse needs.
Furthermore, in 2022, the company was rebranded from "HAMARA FARM" to the current "Hamaran Noen." Based on Yatsugatake corn, we aim to create sustainable agriculture that not only designs the product capabilities but also the shape of agriculture itself, and contributes to agricultural markets and social issues.
"The impact of recent social and environmental issues on agriculture cannot be ignored. In addition, in today's era, there are a wide variety of brands, and products with good packaging designs are overflowing across the country. That's why I feel that it is an era where it is difficult to survive as agriculture unless we place value not only on the design of the appearance, but also on agricultural initiatives itself, connect with consumers who can relate to the story, and take action to see the faces."
So, to help people feel the production area closer together, they established a direct sales store where you can also experience harvesting in a corn field. The single-pipe system used for scaffolding at construction sites was built using "Mokutankan," which was developed by replacing domestic wood with domestic wood, and harmony with the nature at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake.
"In recent years, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people live in rural areas and nature, and the way they live has been returning to their natural lives. In this situation, after working in agriculture for over 10 years, what I feel every year is the pleasure of agriculture, which is free from mental stress. It is said that working under the sun and exposure to microorganisms in the soil will boost your immunity, but agriculture seems to have the hidden essence of helping people live in a rich life. I hope that you can experience this experiential value at a direct sales store."
Currently, the company plans to combine farm houses with "Mokutankan" and build a highly flexible communication space that also serves as a direct sales store, as well as a workshop, experience farm, cafe, event space, and more. We also value high quality products and ship only the corn, the most important, but we use all the second fruit and non-standard products, making them into processed products such as soups, breads, and sweets. From now on, I plan to use beard brown corn beard and use bean paste-made bonfire igniter for bonfires.
In addition, we also pay attention to the function of corn as a soil amendment agent, and the stems are finely ground and mixed into the soil. Until now, we have been using beef manure compost in collaboration with local dairy farmers as fertilizer, but we are aiming to further recycle agriculture.
"Agriculture is "agriculture" in English, but most agriculture in Japan today is "agribusiness" where agricultural products are produced and sold. We would like to unearth more of the culture and develop it into a brand that provides it in a service-like way."
We will be a source of agriculture that enhances the value of agriculture from various aspects and conveys its appeal. The pursuit of rich possibilities continues.
Hamaranouen
address: Nagano 13414-1 Haramura, Suwa District, prefecture
Email:hamaranouen.pr@gmail.com
https://hamarafarm.com/
*This article is information as of June 2022. Please note that the products we carry may have changed.
NAGANO GOOD DESIGN Category Award
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