The appeal of Brown's Field, located in Isumi City in Chiba's Minami Boso region, goes beyond the cafe and natural food lunches we introduced last time.
We continued our tour of the facility with the owner, macrobiotic cooking expert Nakajima Deco, and spoke to us about the sustainable initiatives centered around people, agriculture, and food.
The rice paddies at Brown's Field are just about ready for planting. Rice grown from seedlings without pesticides or compost is sun-dried and turned into rice. Apparently, they've even experimented with duck farming in the past (the duck hut is visible in the center left of the photo).
With its lush rice paddy landscapes, Isumi City has long been a renowned rice-producing region, producing high-quality rice. Brown's Field also plants rice every May, and rice grown in these fields is used to power the cafe, accommodation, and even the meals for the staff living here.
Natural Store Asana carries many local products from nearby producers, making it a great place to pick up some Chiba souvenirs. You can also pick up some of Deco's books and recipe books.
"We're not entirely self-sufficient. We use locally grown vegetables and ingredients, and we carefully source condiments that we can't find anywhere else," says Deco. Natural Store Asana sells organic ingredients and everyday consumables recommended by Deco and his team. You can also purchase rice and processed foods harvested at Brown's Field. Many items, such as beans, salt, and soap, are sold by weight, so be sure to bring containers and eco-bags with you.
"Sagrada Cominca" is named after the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, and has been evolving every day for many years.
Next, Deco guided us to a magnificent old house called "Sagrada Cominca." On the day of our visit, a flea market was being held by the local nature-based childcare group "Forest Kindergarten Isumikko," as well as a tasting event featuring sake from Kido Izumi Sake Brewery, also located in Isumi City. Entering this imposing, thatched-roofed house is filled with a mysterious sense of relief. Apparently, a woman lived here alone until a few years ago. However, due to their advanced age, they decided to move in with their family, who had been living away from them for a long time, and the house was put up for sale.
In addition to holding events and workshops, there are also opportunities to stay overnight. With a Goemon-style bath and other amenities, you can experience the good old days of Japanese life.
"The grandmother, who I was close to, had approached me about selling her house, but she didn't have the funds to do so. Meanwhile, a real estate company bought it, and I became worried, so I went to ask what they were planning to do with the house and land. They said they were going to demolish it, clear the land, and build a warehouse and a pre-built house! I knew this wasn't going to happen, so I decided to take the plunge and start a crowdfunding campaign. With the help of many people, I was able to secure a down payment and preserve this old house. To be honest, the payments are putting a strain on our finances right now (laughs). But think about it, it's 250 years old! Even before that, trees had to be planted, grown, cut down, and dried, which took countless years. I felt that we had to protect this magnificent, historic house and its beautiful landscape at all costs."
【Shop Information】
Brownsfield (General)
Address: 1501-1 Kuwata, Misaki-cho, Isumi-shi, Chiba Prefecture
Telephone: 0470-87-4501
Natural Store Asana
Opening days: Friday to Sunday, public holidays
Business hours: 11:00-16:00
http://brownsfield-jp.com
>>Series [Relaxed Trip to Chiba and Minami Boso]
We continued our tour of the facility with the owner, macrobiotic cooking expert Nakajima Deco, and spoke to us about the sustainable initiatives centered around people, agriculture, and food.
The rice paddies at Brown's Field are just about ready for planting. Rice grown from seedlings without pesticides or compost is sun-dried and turned into rice. Apparently, they've even experimented with duck farming in the past (the duck hut is visible in the center left of the photo).
With its lush rice paddy landscapes, Isumi City has long been a renowned rice-producing region, producing high-quality rice. Brown's Field also plants rice every May, and rice grown in these fields is used to power the cafe, accommodation, and even the meals for the staff living here.
Natural Store Asana carries many local products from nearby producers, making it a great place to pick up some Chiba souvenirs. You can also pick up some of Deco's books and recipe books.
"We're not entirely self-sufficient. We use locally grown vegetables and ingredients, and we carefully source condiments that we can't find anywhere else," says Deco. Natural Store Asana sells organic ingredients and everyday consumables recommended by Deco and his team. You can also purchase rice and processed foods harvested at Brown's Field. Many items, such as beans, salt, and soap, are sold by weight, so be sure to bring containers and eco-bags with you.
"Sagrada Cominca" is named after the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, and has been evolving every day for many years.
Next, Deco guided us to a magnificent old house called "Sagrada Cominca." On the day of our visit, a flea market was being held by the local nature-based childcare group "Forest Kindergarten Isumikko," as well as a tasting event featuring sake from Kido Izumi Sake Brewery, also located in Isumi City. Entering this imposing, thatched-roofed house is filled with a mysterious sense of relief. Apparently, a woman lived here alone until a few years ago. However, due to their advanced age, they decided to move in with their family, who had been living away from them for a long time, and the house was put up for sale.
In addition to holding events and workshops, there are also opportunities to stay overnight. With a Goemon-style bath and other amenities, you can experience the good old days of Japanese life.
"The grandmother, who I was close to, had approached me about selling her house, but she didn't have the funds to do so. Meanwhile, a real estate company bought it, and I became worried, so I went to ask what they were planning to do with the house and land. They said they were going to demolish it, clear the land, and build a warehouse and a pre-built house! I knew this wasn't going to happen, so I decided to take the plunge and start a crowdfunding campaign. With the help of many people, I was able to secure a down payment and preserve this old house. To be honest, the payments are putting a strain on our finances right now (laughs). But think about it, it's 250 years old! Even before that, trees had to be planted, grown, cut down, and dried, which took countless years. I felt that we had to protect this magnificent, historic house and its beautiful landscape at all costs."
【Shop Information】
Brownsfield (General)
Address: 1501-1 Kuwata, Misaki-cho, Isumi-shi, Chiba Prefecture
Telephone: 0470-87-4501
Natural Store Asana
Opening days: Friday to Sunday, public holidays
Business hours: 11:00-16:00
http://brownsfield-jp.com
>>Series [Relaxed Trip to Chiba and Minami Boso]
![Take a break with a natural food lunch and vegan sweets. A day at "Brown's Field" [A relaxing trip to Minamiboso, Chiba, Vol. 1]](https://wrqc9vvfhu8e.global.ssl.fastly.net/api/image/crop/380x380/images/migration/2017/06/34c176d58afd97190446fb9ecba2ba24.jpg)
![A two-day, one-night retreat experience at a chic, modern inn. A day at "Brown's Field" [A relaxing trip to Minamiboso, Chiba, Vol. 3]](https://wrqc9vvfhu8e.global.ssl.fastly.net/api/image/crop/380x380/images/migration/2017/06/d6a903aa85b640b7d1b1c998bcf21f30.jpg)
