In Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, in northern Japan “Miracle Apples” are being grown. Miracle Apples are raised through a “natural cultivation” method that employs neither pesticides nor fertilizers, not even organic matter such as compost or manure. These apples do not turn brown from oxidation after being cut. When left untouched for some time, they start fermenting without decay.
Photo courtesy of Akinori Kimura
Japan is one of the largest pesticide users in the world. It is said that apples in particular cannot be produced without pesticides. In this article, we introduce Akinori Kimura who has succeeded in growing pesticide-free apples with his “natural cultivation” method.
Differences between Natural Cultivation and Organic/Natural Farming
Kimura’s natural cultivation method aims to reproduce the natural environment of woodlands and forests on farmland, without using pesticides, chemical fertilizers or organic matter such as compost and manure. His theory is that this brings out the natural strength of crops and helps them grow vigorously. Since natural cultivation does not use even organic fertilizers, it is different from organic farming. On this point, natural cultivation is similar to the natural farming method established by Masanobu Fukuoka.
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Natural farming avoids tilling based on a concept of as little human intervention as possible. With Kimura’s natural cultivation farmers put their greatest effort into thorough observations of nature and preparation of an environment suitable for the growth of the crop. That is one difference between natural farming and natural cultivation. The concept of natural cultivation holds that, because the natural environment of woodlands and forests was created over an extended period of time, human intervention is necessary to appropriately reproduce a natural environment on man-made farmland.
Kimura sprays apple trees with vinegar to prevent diseases. To protect the apple trees from summer heat and dry soil, he does not clear away undergrowth. He mows the weeds in fall to help the apple trees recognize the changing season. This enhances the color and taste of the apples.
While growing pesticide-free apples, Kimura also researched possibilities for natural cultivation of rice and vegetables. To improve poor soil, he plants legumes such as soybeans, which fix nitrogen compounds in the soil, enriching it. Unlike no-tillage natural farming, he tills the soil, but he does it roughly and less frequently than conventional farmers. Rough tilling brings more air into soil, allowing aerobic microorganisms to work actively.
These techniques we’ve described are just a few examples of natural cultivation methods. Kimura is now engaged in the creation of a comprehensive manual that can be used nationwide, with the help of people working on natural cultivation in various parts of Japan. Natural cultivation is based on establishing site-specific methods that accord with the local climate, soil characteristics, and crops. This site-specificity makes it difficult to create a manual. Establishing natural cultivation methods suitable for an individual farm requires observation, experience, knowledge and time.
It is usually said that farmers experience a large decrease in yield for about three years after shifting to natural cultivation from conventional farming, as practiced by mainstream farmers throughout Japan given an averaged frequency and volume of fertilizer application and pesticide spraying. As the farmland and crops become better adapted over time, however, yields increase up to about 70 to 80 percent of conventional farming yields. Some farmers even achieve higher yields than in conventional farming.
Continued natural cultivation improves plants’ resistance to diseases and pests. Many people feel safer eating vegetables exhibiting insect damage as a sign that pesticides have not been used. However, soil under natural cultivation is similar to natural soil which has no excess nutrients, an so very little insect damage is seen in vegetables produced by natural cultivation, which are also usually beautiful and symmetrical in shape. We can think of plants raised through natural cultivation as artifacts produced through the skill of farmers as artisans who have created cultivation methods well-suited to the plants and their local land.