Today’s Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home
will be presented
in Japanese,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Indonesian, Japanese,
Korean, Malay,
Persian, Portuguese,
Russian, Thai
and Spanish.
Hallo, splendid viewers,
and welcome to
Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home.
Today we will explore
a wonderful method
of natural farming
from Japan.
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi
has been practicing
what he calls the
“Natural Farming” method
in Sakurai City,
Nara Prefecture, Japan
for 30 years.
This method is gentle
to both the environment
and our bodies, because
it complements nature well.
He developed
this eco-friendly style
of agriculture
after falling ill from
the chemical fertilizers
he routinely applied
to his crops.
Mr. Kawaguchi
also started the Akame
Natural Farming School
19 years ago for those
who wished to be trained
in Natural Farming.
Students can learn
the system
through actual practice
in rice fields.
The Natural Farming
method uses no fertilizers
or chemicals,
very little water and
adheres to the philosophy
that crops should be
allowed to grow freely and
thus human intervention
is required only when
absolutely necessary.
Let us now meet the wise
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi.
To begin Mr. Kawaguchi,
would you please explain
the Natural Farming
method that you
have been practicing?
Well, the basic point
of this specific practice
is to never plow the fields.
It is not necessary
to plow at all.
Also, we don't need
fertilizers at all.
We don't need to
bring in anything
from other places.
And weeds and insects
are not enemies.
Moreover, the most
important principle
is that we grow crops
according to
the environment.
In a warm place
or climate,
we grow plants that like
warm temperatures,
while in a cold place
we grow plants
that like the cold climate.
In short, we grow
according to the climate
or the characteristics
of the particular land.
Then, there is a property
to each plant, so we should
follow and accept it.
We should leave the life
of that particular plant
alone.
We leave it
as untouched as possible,
but we do lend our hand
a little as needed so that
the particular crops
grow well.
It is the way
of natural cultivation.
I see. Then, you mean
that crops can grow
healthy and vigorously
without any fertilizer
and pesticides, right?
Yes, exactly.
Crops would grow
very vigorously
without those things.
In agriculture today
it is far from
what the proper method
of agriculture should be.
It neglects
the natural world,
and is contrary to
the law of nature,
and puts a heavy load
on our environment.
Therefore,
this cultivation method
never consumes
the limited resources
of the Earth,
or contaminates water,
Mother Earth, or the air,
all of which are invaluable
to our environment.
This is how this method is.
I see.
I understand
there are both “useful”
and “harmful” bugs
for agriculture.
But according to you,
there is no difference
between these,
and even so-called
“harmful” bugs exist
because they should.
Am I right?
Well, the entire balance
would be upset
if we humans
for some reason define
the different species as
enemies or harmful insects
according to
our convenience
and terminate them.
It is best for them to be
left alone in their place.
If we follow agriculture
that goes along with
the natural way,
then a rice insect doesn’t
turn out to be harmful.
By the way, there is
in fact an occasion when
rice is actually damaged
by these rice insects.
Since the number of
rice insects has increased
tremendously, rice
has been totally eaten up.
This is not because
it is a harmful insect, but
we have made a mistake
in the cultivation method.
We cultivate and apply
large quantities
of fertilizers;
a lot of rice insects
proliferate and
the crops are damaged.
But regardless of
the differences between
harmful and useful insects,
all life is left alone, and
thus the entire balance
is maintained.
The Natural Farming
method does not require
any special technique.
When we can find something
that nature needs,
we simply give
a helping hand.
Then we can keep on
receiving the blessings
from nature.
You mean that animals,
plants, and humans
should live together as one
through interdependence?
Is that right?
It is how
this natural world is made,
so existing through
co-reliance is the key.
Many different kinds
and species of life are
now living or have lived.
And also
there are the to-be-born.
So, birth and death
are cycling, and this is
what the world of life is like.
Life both in the future
and in the past
live together and
carry on within the life
existing here and now.
This is how it works.
We have to realize this.
For instance, rice cannot
live alone in a rice field.
And it is the same
that humans cannot
exist alone on Earth.
Thus, many lives, many
kinds of flora and fauna
exist in a rice field
according to its season.
It is best for us to let nature
take care of things.
And it is not ideal
if anything is taken away
for humans’ convenience
because they are all one.
But they are individual
and different
at the same time.
To understand this point
is important.
When we return,
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi
will further introduce us
to the Natural Farming
method.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Welcome back to
Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home where
we are speaking with
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi
from Sakurai City,
Nara Prefecture, Japan
about the Natural
Farming method.
He now further discusses
the issue of weeds that
appear when growing rice.
In contrast to those
who use conventional
farming techniques,
Mr. Kawaguchi has quite
a different perspective
as to how weeds
affect rice crops.
By the way, we consider
weeds to be enemies,
because we see
our precious rice crops
being overtaken by weeds
beneath our feet.
Rice crops are certainly
overtaken by weeds.
They grow stronger
and more vigorously
than rice crops.
When we compare
one rice plant with a weed,
a weed is stronger,
because
it is a summer grass.
Some weeds grow
in a group and
occupy a space to grow.
If such is the case,
rice crops are certainly
overtaken by those weeds.
It is common
among all plant life.
Plants will be overtaken
by weeds when they are
small and young.
And in such cases,
farmers will take good care
of young rice crops.
Just as mothers and fathers
will take good care of
their children.
Similarly, farmers
will give young crops
a helping hand
to a certain extent until they
can grow independently.
Farmers will remove weeds
from below
the rice seedlings,
but only weeds growing
in that area.
You should not remove
all the weeds
in the rice field.
Removing weeds
only in that area
will protect rice seedlings
and support them so that
they will be not overtaken
by the weeds.
The period of
planting rice seedlings
is equivalent to childhood
for humans.
So rice seedlings will be
planted in their youth,
but we plant rice seedlings
in a rice field.
And it takes about
a month for the rice
seedlings to grow
into young adulthood.
If summer grasses grow
in this period, rice crops
will be overtaken after all.
In such a case,
farmers will cut the weeds
and line the rice field
with the cut weeds.
Then the rice crops
will quickly grow
into young adulthood
after a month.
Their life-span is
half a year,
so their growth is quick.
They quickly
build their bodies.
Even after they have
built their bodies,
there are weeds below.
Various weeds are below.
Various weeds allow
various small insects
to live.
When various small insects
exist there, they will
help make plants thrive.
So they will
make rice crops thrive.
This is the cycle of life.
According to
Mr. Kawaguchi,
nature alone provides
all the nutrients
needed by the rice crops,
and weeds actually play
an integral role
in enriching the soil
for all forms of life.
We tend to think
that weeds may absorb
the nutrients that are given
for the rice crops,
and thus
crop yields may be less.
However, it is not true
in the natural world.
When rice is growing
and various weeds are
growing within its area,
the soil becomes rich.
We can notice this when
we look at things from
a little wider perspective.
All life breathes, and
collects what is necessary
from the air
to construct the body.
Rice also
constructs its body.
And a certain grass
constructs its body.
And grass B also
constructs its body
for its own life.
All plants photosynthesize
utilizing solar energy.
They grow themselves
and let the lives
transform into new plants
after a half year, so
the soil may become fertile.
This is how
the natural world works.
In the uncultivated
rice field,
bodies of once-living
organisms pile up
on and on every half year,
constructing layers
of dead organisms.
It is same with natural
forests and mountains.
The layers
of dead organisms
become the base
to nurture the lives
of the next generation.
But once
we cultivate the soil,
this will not happen.
If we don’t cultivate
and leave it to nature,
the soil becomes
richer and richer
year after year, and
it becomes the foundation
to nurture the lives
of future generations.
How does the crop output
using the Natural
Farming method compare
with conventional
farming techniques?
Roughly speaking,
crop yields harvested
under the Natural
Farming method
are neither more
nor less productive.
By the way,
“tan” is an area used
to measure rice fields.
When I was using
chemical fertilizers,
I got the output
of about 60 kilograms
of brown rice per a tan,
which means
600 kilograms
or 10 straw bags of rice
at the very most and about
eight straw bags of rice
at the very least.
So I used to get between
600 kilograms and about
500 kilograms a year.
When we adopt the
Natural Farming method,
the output would be
about 20 % less
or almost equal,
according to my estimation.
If we fail to take
good care of the crops,
we could receive
a little less than that.
We thank
Mr. Kawaguchi for
sharing his knowledge
of the Natural Farming
method.
Please be sure to join us
next Wednesday
for Part 2 of our interview
with Mr. Kawaguchi
where he will discuss
other aspects of the method
such as growing crops
using a minimal amount
of water.
For more details on
Yoshikazu Kawaguchi,
please visit
Iwazumi2000.cool.ne.jp
Thank you
for your kind company
on today’s edition of
Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home.
Up next is
Enlightening Entertainment,
following
Noteworthy News.
May we all treasure the
splendid flora and fauna
around us.
Today’s Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home
will be presented
in Japanese,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Indonesian, Japanese,
Korean, Malay,
Persian, Portuguese,
Russian, Thai
and Spanish.
Hallo, eco-wise viewers
and welcome
to another edition of
Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home.
Today we will continue
with an introduction to
the “Natural Farming”
method that was created
by Japanese farmer
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi
of Sakurai City,
Nara Prefecture, Japan.
This method is gentle
to both the environment
and our bodies, because
it complements nature well.
He developed
this eco-friendly style
of agriculture
after falling ill from
the chemical fertilizers
he routinely applied
to his crops.
Under this system
crops are to grown
with very little
human intervention
and thus nearly everything
is left to nature.
The land is not tilled and
no fertilizers or pesticides
are used.
Compared to
conventional agricultural,
water usage is minimal.
Mr. Kawaguchi
also started the Akame
Natural Farming School
19 years ago for those
who wished to be trained
in Natural Farming.
Students can learn
the system
through actual practice
in rice fields.
Let us now join
Mr. Kawaguchi in his fields.
This is the rice field
that we haven’t tilled
for 30 years.
Here we have used
no fertilizers or
agricultural chemicals,
and we have grown
mainly rice crops, with
oat and wheat grains
as secondary crops, all
as naturally as possible.
Winter grasses, especially
meadow grasses,
are flourishing now.
No crops are growing,
but below, the soil is
very rich and fertile,
and is becoming
a good environment
for growing.
I would like you
to observe what the soil,
which we haven’t tilled
for 30 years, looks like.
You can easily enter here.
Nothing grows here now,
but please watch your step
because there are holes
from place to place.
This is rice straw that
we produced last year.
You see, under
the summer grasses the
decomposing organic life
that used to live here
has piled up
with the passing
of every six months.
The lower the layer,
the more it is decayed.
And you can see
that the deeper layers
have turned into humus
already, like soil.
What were you sowing
in the seed beds?
I was taking care of
rice seed beds.
In the case of rice,
we nurture seedlings
in seed beds
for one-third of six months,
and then we replant it
during the young
seedling period.
We clear away weeds and
prepare the seedling bed
so that it is occupied
only by rice seeds.
Therefore, the power of
the soil becomes weak.
We never do this
when we plant rice seeds
in a field full of grass though.
When we scrape
other plants away and
take other seeds of weeds
away from the seedling bed,
some holes are made
in the seedling bed.
Because the power of
the soil has become weak
we refill them
with rice bran that
we harvested a year ago.
We sprinkle and refill them
with the empty rice husks
or we refill it
with rapeseed meal
or wheat bran
grown in the field.
Wheat bran is called
“fusuma.”
Or we sprinkle husks
of various grains.
When those things decay,
they nurture the life
of rice vibrantly.
Some crops need
a lot of this, and
some do not need much,
and it is different
according to the crops.
We dig every four meters
to make ditches,
and let water drop below
when we produce wheat,
because wheat dislikes
water being near it.
When we make rice,
an entrance is closed
and water is stored.
Rice likes dampness.
Their characters
are just opposite.
So, in order to
make two opposite things
in a rice field,
we first make ditches and
make ridges in preparation,
and raise the seedlings
and plant here
in the rice field,
and keep sowing and
harvesting in repetition.
The characteristic
of a rice field is just that.
In this rice field,
rice is just in the middle
of the young seedling
period, and is
showing growth like this.
We let the rice seedling
grow here for
one-third of the period,
or about two months.
Then we plant
the seedlings in this field.
These grasses are
at the end of their lives
and are about to die.
They are still alive though.
The rice seedlings
are nicely planted there
one by one.
In Japan, rice is grown
in a flooded rice field and
harvested after six months.
By experience,
Mr. Kawaguchi has found
that rice crops actually
need much less water
during the growing season
than is believed
by most farmers.
Of course,
dampness is necessary.
So for the first two months
of the six months,
there is no water, and
only for three months in
the following four months
the rice is in the water.
So for one month
in the latter period
rice does not need
much water.
We all assume that when
growing vegetables,
we need to give them
plenty of water
on a daily basis.
However according to
Mr. Kawaguchi,
this is not the case.
If there is grass in the field,
sufficient moisture
will be retained for
the vegetables to thrive.
Once we start
to water them,
vegetables won't grow well
without water.
However, the ground
won't be dry, because
there are grasses below.
And since we don’t till,
the soil won't be dry.
Or dry grasses or
once-living organisms
are piled up below,
so the soil won’t be dry.
Therefore,
it is not necessary
for us to water
even after we sow seeds,
because it would
rain sufficiently
and the ground
would get damp anyway.
So, it is not fundamental
to water.
However,
when we sow seeds
later than usual
and we want them
to germinate early,
or when sunny weather
has been continuing
for many days, we would
give water only once,
or before we transplant
seedlings, we would
give them enough water.
We give water according
to the weather and
how dry the ground is.
But basically,
there is no need to water.
This is much better.
When we return,
we will meet
some of the students
who are learning
the Natural Farming
method from
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Welcome back to
Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home where
we are speaking with
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi
from Sakurai City,
Nara Prefecture, Japan
about the
Natural Farming method.
Mr. Kawaguchi raises
a diverse number
of crops in his fields.
He now introduces us
to some of them.
Around here we mix crops.
According to
their relationship
with the rain, sunlight,
temperature and so on
some crops
are appropriate here
and others aren’t.
Here are chrysanthemums
and green onions
and here are tomatoes.
Santo greens or
Chinese cabbages are here.
Or, these are radishes.
These are carrots.
A variety of vegetables
are planted
in a mixed fashion.
We call it “konshoku.”
When we plant
many kinds of plants in
a mixed fashion like this,
the ground below
will make the crops
bring various blessings
owing to the condition of
the soil and the grasses
growing there
and damage from
continuously planting
may disappear.
That’s why
we plant different crops
at the same time.
In short, we can plant
various crops we want
according to the climate
without worrying so much.
Mr. Kawaguchi founded
the Akame
Natural Farming School
so that others may learn
his farming techniques.
The school is free
and he has taught
more than 5600 students
over the past 19 years.
We asked him about
the typical background
of his students.
Let me see,
most live in big cities:
they were born and
brought up in big cities.
So, some are office workers
doing desk jobs in
a very ordinary company,
both men and women.
But there are
more women in number.
And some are self-employed.
And some are teachers.
And unexpectedly
many are working
in the medical field.
And, some are housewives.
So, they have various jobs.
Maybe they cover almost
all the jobs in the world.
Of course, each is here
for his or her own reason,
but what is
the major reason
for them to be here?
I think that
the fundamental reason
is to take good care
of their lives.
To gain satisfaction in life,
and to take good care
of this given body
which is given for
a hundred years or so.
To take good care
of this physical body
and to ensure
the safety of food.
Let us now meet some
of his splendid students.
What made you come here
to the Akame
Natural Farming School?
I have been interested
in environmental issues,
and have decided
to learn here in order to
practice the best method.
Are you already
practicing this method
at home?
No, not yet.
But I think I will do that
in future.
What made you come here
and study
the Natural Farming?
Basically, because of
the same reason
Mr. Kawaguchi
has changed to the
Natural Farming method.
I used to engage
in agriculture with
agricultural chemicals.
But I didn’t like it
because I didn’t feel well
afterwards.
I am very happy when
I work with many people
with various ideas
who are gathering here.
I have become very joyful
both mentally
and physically.
When you come here,
you are embraced
by very warm-hearted
and gentle people.
So I look forward to
visiting here every month.
How long have you been
learning here?
About eight years.
I have been renting
a little field to practice
this method of agriculture.
Really?
What is your impression
of this school?
While I am working
alone or all of us are
working together under
the blessed environment
here in nature, I am very
thrilled with excitement.
Whenever I come here
my heart dances with joy.
We deeply thank
Mr. Yoshikazu Kawaguchi
for sharing his
Natural Farming method
with others
and for practicing
a form of agriculture that
respects our environment
and all the beings
that reside within it.
May many more people
soon practice
this wonderful style
of natural farming.
For more details on
Yoshikazu Kawaguchi,
please visit
Iwazumi2000.cool.ne.jp
Thank you
for your kind company
on today’s edition of
Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home.
Up next is
Enlightening Entertainment,
following
Noteworthy News.
May we all be embraced
by Divine Love
and Light from Heaven.