organic farm 88       　　                      

２０１５年１１月
 
Pierre
（フランス、２週間滞在）
 
This was my first wwoof experience so I wouldn't know how things usually are. I'd say I was a bit disoriented at first but one quickly picks up the pace of the familly. The ids are great and really full of energy which is really nice to whatch. If by any chance you don't know what to do they'll find something for you for sure.
 
The work load is rather small at this time of year I think so the working day is not very long (8 to 12h30~) and the host makes the tasks varied.
 
The hostess speaks very good English and the host speaks a better English than he seems to show.
 
 

２０１５年１１月
 
コニタン
（鎌倉、２週間滞在）
 
 
２週間お世話になりました。
 
この町はとても静かで山々に囲まれていて川もあり、夜になると星がキレイに見え自然豊かなところでした。
 
そんな自然豊かな中でトマト、ズッキーニ、小豆の収穫、稲刈り、玉ねぎやにんにくを植えたり、いろいろ作業をさせて頂きました。
 
途中で霜がおりてしまいトマトとズッキーニの収穫が出来なくなってしまい改めて農業と自然との関係を感じることができました。
 
農作業だけではなくレンガでのストーブ作りのお手伝い、保育園の親子参観などとても楽しく貴重な体験でした。将来自分でもレンガ作りのストーブは作りたいなーと思いました。
 
また人との繋がりが広く太く、自分もたくさんの方と出会う事ができいろいろなお話を伺うことができました。みなさんおもしろく意識が高くとても刺激的でした。
 
お金にとらわれない生活、環境に配慮した生活、ここでの生活はとても豊かさに溢れているように感じました。
 
毎日美味しいご飯をありがとうございます。
 
農作業のやり方、農業の話を教えて頂きありがとうございます。
 
元気な子どもたち毎日遊んでくれてありがとう。
 
三人目のお子さんの成長が楽しみです。
 
くりちゃん一緒に散歩してくれてありがとう。
 
これからも元気で仲のいい家族で楽しい生活がおくれますように。

２０１５年９月
 
Chigusa&Ben
（ドイツ、１ヶ月滞在）
 
 
This host is amazing! We had an amazing month in the Nagano-ken countryside where we mainly harvested and packed tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. We also helped build new greenhouses and had the unique chance of helping with this years rice harvest which was very cool to see first hand!
 
The family is super welcoming and their three kids keep everyone busy and smiling with their happiness and energy.
 
We always had three delicious Japanese meals a day together with the whole family.
The farm is located in a very small and rural village.There is a post office where you can withdraw money (actually we did not really spend any money here) and buy stamps. In the village you can also take Aikido lessons. That was super interesting and a nice addition to the rest of our activities.
 
We usually worked up to six hours in the morning, helped with the lunch or washing up and had the afternoon free to explore the surroundings (during walks with the dog). There is a really nice Onsen (Hot Spring Bath) just a 20 min walk away.
 
On Sundays we had our day off and were able to go hiking and see a temple in a nearby city. We could use the ethernet cable for internet access and easily plan what we wanted to do.
 
Communication was easy as our hosts speak English.
 
Thank you so much for the great time. We learned a lot and really felt at home

２０１５年９月
 
純ちゃん
（埼玉、１週間滞在）
 
「おとうさんのトマト、おいしくて、とまらない！」
 
トマトをほおばる元気いっぱいのちびっ子きょうだい。
 
美味しい、と、からだがよろこぶ野菜。
 
大地と相談しながら育てているからでしょうか。
 
オーガニックファーム８８の林亮さん、洋子さんの居住まいは、
 
やわらかな中に、しなやかな芯がとおっています。
 
二人の、大地と太陽への感謝のこころが、
 
野菜づくり、毎日のくらし、子どもへの語りかけ、
 
から、伝わってきます。
 
自然のちからをいただく土づくり、太陽や薪のおふろ。
 
わらったり、泣いたりの子どもたち。
 
みんなで共有している恵みに、私も気づくことができました。
 
ありがとう。いただきます。
 
 
 

２０１５年９月
 
Carlos
（アメリカ、１週間滞在）
 
Wonderful host family in the most outstanding location! It's exactly what you'd romanticize about the Japanese mountainous countryside. Healthy green forests, nearby hidden shrines with stone dragons guarding the entrance, and classically built homes dotting the small valley villages.
 
This truly was a treat to stay in such an amazing location with an even better host family.
 
First, if you're at all concerned with not speaking Japanese, please know that Yoko is a fluent English speaker. She lived in the States for much of her life, and she will be able to conduct long and meaningful conversations with you at the dinner table.
 
The kids. The kids are full of laughter and joy, and seriously want to do nothing more than try to climb on you and make funny faces in your direction. They're charming and will make this stay a pleasurable one.
 
Ryo is a good father and great farmer. He has a love for the organic produce that he grows, and he will have you engaged in the land in the most hands-on-experience. The work is tough, but it is rewarding.
 
There's much to do in the area! You can spend your free-time at the nearby onsen or even climbing the beautiful Mt. Moriyasan to get a look at the sprawling Japanese mountains.
 
I'd highly recommend a stay with this host. I'll cherish the memories of this place and the family's love for quite some time.
 
Thank you for everything Ryo and Yoko!!!

２０１５年９月
 
ドュックン
（ベトナム、４日間滞在）
 
 
９月初めにきてくれたベトナム人のボランティアさん。田舎に突然出没する世界的な名建築物を眺め、とても感慨深い表情をしていました。
今年は彼のような建築家やお医者さんといった専門職のボランティアさんが多く来てくれました。食事の時の会話は、さまざまな話に花が咲き、みなさんの博識に触れることができました。
 

２０１５年８月
 
Peter
（イギリス、１ヶ月滞在）
 
 
When I first arrived here at this host’s farm I was quite nervous as it is my first time in Japan and I have never done anything like this before. However these nerves went away very quickly as I discovered how welcoming and kind the whole family is. I have now been here a month and leave tomorrow. I can honestly say I am very sad to be leaving as I have been made to feel so much a part of the family here. The two boys are very funny and playful and practicing my broken Japanese with them has been a lot of fun, and I have learned some rather rude words too. The mother speaks very good English and the father also speaks well. Both are generous and interesting to talk to, I really like their sense of humour.
The host takes care over the work they give you, the work I have been assigned has always been varied and I have never done the same thing all day long. A lot of the work is enjoyable, I particularly enjoyed the more physical jobs like tilling the soil and cutting back weeds, however be warned that in August some days are very hot! I often packed vegetable’s which actually I also really enjoyed because we listen to music and I really like the host’s music tastes! The host is very knowledgeable and as an urban dweller I have learned so much.
There is a lot to do your free time, and the family always include you in what they’re doing. Throughout the month I have been here I have Hiked up 3 different mountains and seen some incredible views, I will never forget watching the biggest fireworks display in Japan from the top of a mountain! I have been invited to a pizza making party where I took part in a traditional Japanese game involving a stick, a blindfold and a watermelon. The host threw a delicious Korean barbeque and they have even taken me to a sushi restaurant. There have also been friends and guests coming and going to the house during my stay, with one we went a memorable drive to a beautiful gorge while another, a hunter, brought us the leg of a freshly killed deer which made a great stew.
All in all I cannot recommend this host enough, I have had a truly amazing time here and would love to return one day!

２０１５年７月
 
ソルバイ＆アスピアン
（デンマーク、１週間滞在）
 
 
デンマークから来たソルバイとアスピアンとは、平和について深く話す時を持つことができました。ちょうど、安保法案が強行採決される時期に滞在され、デンマークでは投票率８０％を切ったことがないことや、近隣の国が攻撃されるのを見過ごすことはできないなど、良い意味で、多面的な価値観をぶつけ合うことができました。そして、最終的に私たちの話の行きつくところは、平和は対話から生まれる、という、かなりシンプルなところでした。
 
ちなみに、私たちがニュージーランドへの農旅で出会ったデンマーク人の友だちのシスターが、ソルバイでした。
.

２０１５年７、８、１１月
 
ベン
（スイス、３ヶ月滞在）
 
 
If you are looking for a real WWOOFing experience, this is the place to go. The farm is located in the heart of Nagano prefecture in a very tiny, quiet town full of lovely folks. The farm is 100% organic and the family tries to live in harmony with nature as well. All family members are really warm-hearted and make you feel at home. You will definitely not only work but become a real family member if you can open up to them. So don’t be surprised if the kids ask you to read a book or to come along to a friend’s birthday party. The work is very varied and you will definitely not find yourself doing the same thing all day long.
 
When you go for a walk or simply work in a field you will surely meet other people of the village and, I can assure you, they will be very curious as to who you might be and where you might come from. Use this chance to meet interesting people and practice your Japanese skills.
 
Since the village is uniquely situated in the middle of nowhere, but still not too far from the next city, many beautiful walks or rather hikes are right on your doorstep. The green forest covered valleys of the central Japanese Alps are definitely worth exploring. I should add that this village is nestled in a beautiful valley so if you’re not keen on hiking you will still see many fantastic views.
 
Eating time is family time. Enjoy a mixture of traditional organic Japanese cooking with the occasional omelette or pizza thrown in, all very delicious. The family is very generous and they share all their meals with you. A piece of advice: if you are nice to the kids, they may even grant you extra desserts. At the table there is always an interesting conversation going on that you can join in in English, or if you’re feeling brave, you can try out your Nihongo.
 
Thank you all for the wonderful time; I really enjoyed my two months at your farm!
 
 
☆☆☆
 
ベンはいったんスイスに帰国しましたが、その１ヶ月後、再び日本を訪れ、しばらく私たちと共に暮らしました。すっかり家族の一員です。
 

２０１５年７月
 
Able 
（シンガポール、２週間滞在）
 
 
I spent two weeks here and the host family has been nothing but nice to me. The community over has also been friendly. It is very homely over here. The work at the farm was rewarding. Seeing how daily vegetables are being taken care of, from seedling, maintainence, to harvesting and then packing. It gives a city boy like me a whole new perspective to how I view food in general. Besides farm work, the host family took great care with the WWOOFers' well-being. Free time was plentiful and treks to the surrounding mountain areas were incredible. Also, I got to try out Aikido at the nearby dojo. The place here is very rural (not that it's a bad thing. just that it took me a while to get used to it). Last but not least, it's a great place to view the stars at night. Highly recommend this place to anyone who's interested in farming and the humble Japanese way of life. However, a word of caution: there's no WIFI so do bring along your laptop. They have LAN cables instead.

２０１５年８月
 
なぐちゃん
（埼玉、４日間滞在）
 
 
たった４日間でしたが、お世話になりました。  なぜ埼玉から長野まで、わざわざファームステイをしに来たのか？ 私の今回の動機は、旧友の林ヨーコさんに会うため、そしてなんと言っても「有機農業の現場を見たかったから」なのです。 最近私は、「日本の食の安全なんて掛け声ばかりで、実態がおろそかになっているなぁ」と、危惧していたのでした。 たまたま、Facebookで旧友のヨーコさんが有機農家を営んでいることを知り、「会いたい！見たい！体験したい！」と思ったのでした。「顔の見える化」です。 スーパーで買った野菜、冷蔵庫で腐らせちゃった、仕方ないよなぁ～ お腹壊すくらいなら捨てちゃえ～～よくある話です。顔が見えていないが故のことでしょう。 でも生産者さんと寝食共にさせて頂き、農作業のお手伝いも経験させて頂き、すでに「顔が見えている」のです。有機農法で作ったジャガイモ、やはり他と違う。皮がもったいなくて皮ごと鍋へ。皮を剥く手間も省けるし、何よりも皮を味わえる。 オーガニックファーム88さん、これからも消費者の方たちとの信頼関係を地道に積み上げていってください。野菜箱をまた注文させて頂きたいですし、またぜひ訪れたいです！その日まで、ご機嫌よう～。

201５年７月
 
ゆうまくん
（岐阜、２週間滞在）
 
2週間という短い間でしたがお世話になりました。
スナップエンドウやトマト、大豆など、様々な品目に関わらせていただき、また肥料作りや苗作り、出荷作業など多くの工程を手伝わせていただけて大変勉強になりました。ほぼ農業の経験が無い中でやっていけるか不安でしたが、亮さんに丁寧に教えていただけてとても嬉しかったです。
また、初対面にも関わらず暖かく迎え入れて頂きありがとうございました。食卓に出される野菜はいつも美味しく、洋子さんや賑やかな子供たちのおかげで仕事以外でも楽しく過ごすことができました。海外から来たウーファーたちと生活を共にして、日本に居ながら海外にホームステイしているような、でも薪風呂や釜での料理など日本昔ながらのモノにも触れられて、あらためて贅沢な2週間だったと思います。
特に子供たちと別れるのは寂しいですが、ホームページで見られる成長ぶりを楽しみにしたいと思います。
ありがとうございました。

２０１５年５月＆７月
 
ナット
（タイ、３０代、２ヶ月滞在）
 
I’ve been living in the city for my whole life before I decided to come to Japan for Wwoofing. This is my first time and this host is my first host.
 
Firstly. This family doesn’t treat us as worker, not only in working life but also in living life. This family treats us as part of their family. You will find yourself in a very warm spot and also have your own space.
 
For Yoko, she speaks English like a local, so even you don’t speak any Japanese, you will definitely can enjoy your time and learn a lot of things during your stay. Yoko always makes me feel like I’m not invisible. She will never let me feel I was left alone. She tries to explain the ongoing conversation to make sure that we are on the same page. But sometime, only seeing them smile and laugh is just explain everything ☺
 
For Ryo, as mention, I’ve never done any agriculture before. But Ryo is a very knowledgeable person. Everything he does, it means something. Even though he doesn’t speak much, but every time I ask, he will try so hard to explain. I’ve learnt many things in agriculture especially in organic way. As Yoko said, it’s not easy to become an organic farmer. I also had a chance to have barbecue at the lake with Ryo’s parent, food is great (with Yoko’s special BBQ sauce recipe) and his parents are so incredible. I couldn’t never asked for anything more.
 
For kids, I’m feeling like having younger brothers. You will find these two little boys always fight, laugh, cry and love, which make the word brothers. One thing that I really like in this family is the boys always share the food they have and they share it equally to everyone. So now I realize that, it doesn’t matter how much you have in order to learn how to give.
 
Beside the family, they always have guests stopping by. And these guests brought many new experiences. Once, I listened to one of their friends playing Cello. Some may come with the horse, even a great soba. In addition, you will also find very nice two ladies at the onsen closed by. And the master of Akido class who is also the musician. He is very kind and skillful person.
 
I have some little advices for living with this family that are Close your eyes, open your heart and you will find an amazing family that makes this house become home.
The main purpose of my wwoofing is to learn how to do the organic rice farming. I didn’t get much detail of this. Anyway, from above, I’ve learnt and I’ve seen so many things that are much more important. So I guess it doesn’t matter now, I never feel regret in every second of my time here.
 
Thank you very much = ขอบคุณมากๆ ครับ

２０１５年５月
 
Naomi
（イスラエル出身、２０代、３週間滞在）
 
I was spending almost 3 weeks with this lovely family. The farming activities were varied and dynamic most of the time. I arrived during the beginning of May which is time for field preparation and planting.
 
The host family is leading a natural and in tune with nature lifestyle. For me it was inspiring and gave me new perspective regarding to organic lifestyle.
 
I have learned a lot about Japanese culture and even a bit Japanese. Yoko and Ryo always make sure to translate and explain the things that are going on at the moment and makes u feel a part of the home. They were extremely supportive and kind to help us, Woofers, to get to know the nature around us and the people of the village. Very soon I found myself meeting some of the cool people living here over and over again in various occasions.
 
I am glad to say that all the details in the profile about the activities around are reachable and Ryo & Yoko where doing their best to make our free time enjoyable.
I feel very lucky to meet Ryo & Yoko and their charming three kids.
 
So if you decide to join this farm working adventure prepare yourself for smiling and active children, a big house with privacy when needed and company when you wish and wonderful relaxing nature all around.

２０１５年４月
 
アナイス＆ギョウム
（フランス、８日間滞在）
 
We spent just 8 days in Takato and it was our first experience of wwoofing but we had a great time in this family! They welcome us very warmly and made us quickly be part of their family. They live in a traditional japanese way and it's very interesting to see that. They have 3 kids (a new baby born and 2 boys of 4 and 6)and it's really pleasant to share time with them because they are really nice and smart and full of energy!
 
The work in fields is good and often differs. We fix some green houses and put some net as a protection against deer, help to build a chicken house with the kids, repanding compost. We also help Yoko to take care of the house, do some cooking, and walk the dog around.
 
We had a lot of free time in the afternoon so you can explore the surrounding. They live in a very rural place full of fields and forest everywhere so it's very beautiful and quiet.Ryo share his beautiful countryside with us picking us and the children in mountains on sunday. They also bring us to events which made us share time with them and their friends.
 
So it was a great experience for that and we thanks this family for spending time with us and sharing their lifestyle.