海外研修 about garden

I would like to introduce about Japanese and British garden because I like flowers and gardening. I grow some flowers with my sister and I grow tomatoes, green peppers and lettuces in our garden. I often see many flowers and little farm in my home town. It is very beautiful and I think it is good for town. I am interesting gardening and community farm.
Gardening and little farming is very popular hobby in Japan. The persons living in the big city cultivates vegetables and flowers for private use in recreation at the community farm. Also, the persons of advanced years make a religion of gardening. Schoolchildren experience agriculture at farm. They grow rice, some vegetables and flowers. They eat rice and vegetables from them farm. It is important study for children. They study not only agriculture but also eating.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Japan Agriculture cooperatives (JA) help some community farms. Beginners can easily begin it, because there is the leader of the agriculture. It was begun for the purpose of teaching importance of the agriculture and we can learn eating and we life from agriculture.
In Kumamoto prefecture have about 40 community farms. Therefore we can grow favorite vegetables and flower by contract for one year. The contract money is the cheapest is 2,500 yen for one year and the most expensive is 84,000 yen for one year in Kumamoto. It has different in area of the land, but we can borrow it for an average about 5,000 yen.
The Family farm in Kumamoto city is management of JA Kumamoto. The total area is 176,100㎡. Now more than 30 people contract with it. The persons live in Kumamoto city only can borrow it. The contract money is 6,000 yen for one year. It is not expansive but there has some limit and more costs.
The Fureai farm in my hometown is Uki city is management of agricultural administration in Uki city. The total area is 2,500㎡. More than 45 people contract with here. Anyone can borrow it. The contract money is 4,000 yen for one year. It is cheaper than Kumamoto city and Aso. And we can borrow some agricultural machines and implements here. It has a rest station and water service.
The popular vegetables are tomatoes, cucumbers and beans in here, because anyone can easily bring them up without detailed knowledge and we can easily get some young plant of vegetables and seeds at near store. They enjoyed harvest vegetables in own farm. There are many vegetables they can grow and people raising beautiful flowers. The most popular fruits are watermelons and melons, but it is very difficult to grow for beginners. They grow only yearly plants because they cannot plant trees at the community farm and one year contract. There are many vegetables that they sow seeds in spring and they harvest in summer.
Farmers can sell some vegetables and flowers from own farm at the direct sales depot of near community farm. The fresh and chemical free vegetables are very popular for consumer. We don’t have to worry about the agricultural chemicals and can get vegetables cheaply and producers can get little money. I think it is good little work for person of advanced years, because some person doesn’t get enough money.
As for the contractor of the community farm in Kyushu for rent, about 70% are the person of advanced years. Many people were beginners of the agriculture because they forced retirement from company and they have a lot of free time. Agriculture is religion of them and they are self support in vegetables.
The community farm has a lot of good point, but it has many problems. It is the problem of the refuse disposal. Some community farm doesn’t have dumping ground, because can’t burn the trash oneself in Japan. They take a lot of costs, and many people can’t take care every day because some community farm is far from the big city. Problem of get rid of harmful insects and beast. It is the damaged the farm.
Agriculture is the most important thing for persons. It is difficult to grow the plants, but the almost persons enjoyed the agriculture. I think the organic vegetables from own farm or garden are safety and very good. The gardening and agriculture have very good influence on Japanese persons.
Next, I would like to introduce about England. The community farm is very popular in Europe. It is Garman called Kleingarten garden and England called Allotment. Japan referred to some European farm. The majority of people have garden in own house or allotment in England. Allotment is a small area of land for rent by local government or independent allotment associations.
Renting allotment is not only an inexpensive way of getting own hands on valuable gardening space but also a great opportunity to meet other gardeners and a relaxing, sociable way to garden.
The gardeners have to pay a small membership fee to the association, and have to abide with the corresponding constitution and by-laws. On the other hand, the membership entitles them to certain democratic rights. The contract money is the cheapest is ￡6 for one year and the most
expensive is ￡50 for one year in England for a plot of about 9m by 6m. Most contractors are older or disadvantaged people.
Red Hill Allotment in Leicester, it is famous allotment in England. It was a wasteland of overgrown weeds which was almost deserted but now it has been transformed into a thriving allotment tended by 50 enthusiastic gardeners. The Red Hill Supporters Group to get more persons interested in growing their own vegetables. They also started hosting barbecues and social events to attract more persons and had advice from environmental charity ground work Leicester and Leicestershire.
The popular plants are tomatoes, leeks, onions, cherry trees, apple trees, plum trees and some herbs. British people often use herbs for cooking and people made fruits jam or cakes and pudding from own fruits. Organic vegetables are popular because it is very healthy and good for people.
Both English and Japanese people enjoy gardening. Gardening is very popular hobby. Another similarity is there are big DIY shops and they can buy anything of gardening goods. Organic vegetables are popular in both countries. What surprised me was most English people have barbecue kitchen in own garden. Some people have hot house, wine cellar and work room. They enjoy barbecues and hobbies time because English people like barbecue and home party. I was surprised little children enjoyed camping in own garden. It is very good time for people in garden.
Allotment is relaxation from the stress from works for working people, for senior citizens a place of communication with persons having the same interests, for children and students a place to play, communicate and to discover nature and its wonders and for the unemployed person the feeling of being useful and not excluded as well as a supply of fresh vegetables at minimum cost. Many allotment societies have their own websites. Some allotment associations have cooking books of vegetables and have little café or restaurant near allotments. People can get communication with other people easily at allotment.
From this report I have learned that gardening is very popular hobby in the world.