A special guided tour of Apple Grandpa's visit to Taiwan, introducing you to natural farming

Written by / Jiang Huixian

Mr. Masanobu Kimura, a Japanese apple farmer known as "Grandpa Kimura" and "Apple Grandpa," visited Taiwan this week, from 9/26 to 9/28, giving lectures in the north, south and east and holding on-site field exchanges with farming friends.

Grandpa Kimura is regarded as a man who created a miracle. Thirty years ago, when conventional agriculture was still prevalent in Japan, he resolutely devoted himself to natural farming, tending his fruit trees with no pesticides and no fertiliser. From the first time he saw 7 apple blossoms to harvesting 2 apples, a full 10 years passed. How he persisted to the end and achieved results has inspired many farming friends to switch to non-toxic, natural cultivation.

This year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization listed Mr. Kimura's natural farming cultivation method as an important agricultural practice, abbreviated as the A.K. method; this proves that this farming method already has applicability across regions, and has brought positive and significant changes to human farming, ecology and the environment.

In his lectures, Mr. Masanobu Kimura said many thought-provoking things. He reminded everyone to think: "What is the three-way relationship between the environment, diet and farming?" From soil, microorganisms, coexistence with insects and biodiversity, he encouraged and expressed his hope to everyone: "The 21st century is the era of using agriculture to repair the Earth; the 21st century is the era of agricultural revival and renaissance."

Let us read and think together: what changes does this future-oriented, friendly farming method, which emphasises "following nature, planting what suits the land, and letting crops bring out their own abilities," bring to our cultivation, ecology and environment!

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