[Visiting a Branch Producer] JA Hitachi Okukuji Branch Producers' Association: A Community-Wide Effort for Continuous Growth

We visited Hitachiomiya City in the northwest of Ibaraki Prefecture, which ships approximately 250 varieties of branches throughout the year.

Hello. I'm Arai, responsible for operating the Branch Subscription Service and customer support.

This letter is a report on our visit to Hitachiomiya City, Ibaraki Prefecture, one of the main branch production areas in the Kanto region.

This time, we visited the "JA Hitachi Okukuji Edamono Division" located in Hitachiomiya City.

Established in 2005 with 9 members at the time, the division has now expanded to 146 members (as of August 2023)! It is a major production area that produces about 250 varieties of branches annually, centering on flowering peach trees shipped around February every year. It supports Ibaraki Prefecture, which ranks first in Japan for the value of cut branch production.

The SiKiTO Branch Subscription Service has delivered various branches grown in Hitachiomiya, such as snowball viburnum, Japanese kerria, red plum, nandina, and Russian olive.

《Examples of branches produced in Hitachiomiya City》

One of the most important items for the Okukuji Edamono Division is the "flowering peach (Hanamomo)." "Forcing cultivation" makes it possible to stably ship flowering peaches, which are indispensable for Hinamatsuri decorations and herald the arrival of spring.

Every year around late January, flowering peach branches with buds are brought by each producer to the Okukuji Edamono Division's joint forcing facility, which is set up in the schoolyard of an abandoned school.

Then, after about a week of "forcing," when the buds swell, they are shipped sequentially.

"Forcing" refers to controlling the growth of flowering trees in a greenhouse. The Okukuji Edamono Division harvests flowering peaches in bud form and adjusts the flowering time in an environment of around 23℃.

For flowering plants deeply connected to seasonal events, like flowering peaches, shipping at the right time is crucial. We were able to see the techniques and ingenuity involved in circulating natural branches as "products."

Next, we went to the branch farms.

This day was in the middle of a heatwave. Various branches were growing robustly in the vast land, receiving plenty of sunlight.

Many of the producers are people who started farming after retirement, and the scale of production and the number of items are left to each individual. Some producers even handle dozens of varieties annually!

Vast stretches of branch farms. Many of them began with efforts to cultivate overgrown "abandoned farmland (land not cultivated for over a year and not planned for recultivation within several years)" together with local residents.

Over approximately 20 years, branches have steadily grown as a local industry in Hitachiomiya.

Why not appreciate the branches and let your thoughts wander to the landscape where they grew?

 

Branch Subscription Service｜Just wait at home, just decorate.

View products 〉