Pat Heung Shui Lau Tien (5) - learning from a Japanese friend

4 Nov 2013 

Every Sunday we see his car, a white Lexus, and we know that he has come already. He is Japanese but he speaks Cantonese and English. His field is nearer to the village houses than ours but well sheltered by head high shrubs and grass. There is a path leading to it from the well where we both share - the only source of water for all the three parties.

This Sunday morning, WY led me to see his field. Immediately we felt the unique Japanese style. The rows are narrower and tidier. There is a greater variety of vegetables. Lines of crops and dry straw coverings form a beautiful pattern. Every corner is like a picture. 

dry grass as fertiliser

Pineapples 

Herbs 

 WY was most interested in how he kept fertility of the soil and asked if he used compost. 

"I don't use any compost. I just use the grass, wood and the dried crop remains. I never use any fertilisers, not even organic fertilisers bought from shops, or wet compost. I use what I can find here on this field. This is the most natural way to grow. If I use things other than those from the land here, the natural thing will be damaged. I have the grass dried and then put them in the ditches and my stepping on them will break them down. Then I put them over the crops. They serve as natural fertilisers."

The hoe he uses is from Japan, a pointed one, which is very different from the Chinese hoes we are using. 

"Where did you learn this?" 

"I love farming and I started growing when I was a child in Japan. I read a lot of books about growing  crops." 

"Look at these bananas. They are very healthy. There are no bugs. When I do not use any fertilisers, there are fewer bugs or illnesses. Wet leftovers to make compost will attract insects." 

"Is that so? No wonder why we get so many bugs in our fields." 

"These are lady fingers, the fruit is the best taste when it is not too long." 

"I want to try growing lady fingers! The flowers are so beautiful." 

"This Japanese guy is very nice. We share the same well, and he always gets our water pipe connected after he has finished using the water pump." 

"Look! My improved field, the Japanese model. With compose sun-dry first, and dry grass on the sides!" WY was really quick to learn.