Do you know that Japanese fruits are becoming very popular abroad now? Among them, the brand power of "Aomori apple" is high, and it has gained popularity as a gift gift fruit mainly in Taiwan. From "Apple Communication", which will be delivered to all three times from this time, visit the apple plantation and processing plant in the Tsugaru area in Aomori Prefecture. We will deliver how the world-class Japanese apples are made.

The farm I visited is the Tsugaru area, which is especially active in apple production in Aomori Prefecture. The field was in the mountain area where I drove about 1 hour from JR Hirosaki Station. Mr. Takatoshi Shibata, who is a veteran farmer with more than 40 years of apple making history, welcomes me. What kind of apple do you grow on this farm?

桑田さん「ふじをメインにジョナゴールド、王林、名月、シナノゴールドなど約10種類のりんごを育てています。たとえば、いまや世界中で愛されているふじはほどよい酸味が楽しめる品種、ジョナゴールドは酸味が特徴の品種。味はおいしいけれど形や色が悪いものは加工用にまわるので、みなさんが普段飲んでいるりんごジュースにも、もしかするとうちの農園で採れたりんごが使われているかもしれませんね」

I visited the farm in early June. It looks like apple fruits are growing well, what kind of work have you done so far?

Mr. Shibata "Every year, the first thing we do first is" pruning "in the winter. I do it in a time when leaves are not yet out, but it is actually the key to making good apples that this good work makes good apples No, I imagine the leaves that will grow from now on, thinking that the sun will fall on all the leaves and dropping the extra branches. "

葉が重なってしまうと日射が半減してしまうため、どんな風に枝を配置させるかが、とても大切になってくるのだとか。ハサミの入れ方ひとつで、りんごの出来栄えやおいしさが変わってくるという重要な作業。この道40年の桑田さんからは、この剪定の見極めがとても難しいのだと聞きました。

Mr. Shibata "The" fertilizer "starts sowing from around April, when snow melts. Weeding is also done several times a year, as appropriate. Apple flowers bloom from April to May every year, but" pollination " Is going with a bee called Beetle "

Since it is very difficult to manually pollinate the innumerable flowers that bloom in a vast field, I will place a beehive box in every part of the farm and have the bees pollinate. What will be done after this is a work called "flower thinning" that picks out unnecessary flowers. By doing this, it is possible to grow the fruit large and improve the quality.

Mr. Shibata "We also sprayed pesticides to prevent diseases and pests (as of the beginning of June). These diseases are essential because when they become ill, the fruit may become smaller or the taste may be lost. I hope that this year, it will only be praying that this is not the case, as a disease that spots spots on the surface of the apple, which is known as “Scab's disease,” is prevalent in some areas.

今年も無事、おいしいりんごが育ちますように。

What is currently underway is a work called "picking". By squeezing one fruit out of a lot, it is said that the nutrition can be delivered to the apple firmly and it can be grown to a fine apple. The fruits called "side fruits" around the center fruits often fall off before they grow up, so we pick them up to the end as they grow up, looking at the balance with the branches.

桑田さん「はさみは使わずに、すべての側果を手で摘み取っていきます。毎日朝の7時から夕方の5時ぐらいまで作業をしていますが、どんなにがんばっても、1日に摘果できるのは1人でせいぜい樹木1本半程度。5月から6月にかけては、ほぼこの作業にかかりきりですね」

It is said that it is said that it is said that the quantity and quality of the flower buds which bloom next year will be improved by picking side effects. This is a very daunting task, as it picks the fruits of a 1.5 ha field that is a little larger than the Koshien Stadium ground and has a volume of 1/4 to 1/5. In this way, one apple is brought up big carefully carefully.

In the coming season, do you have the climate you expect to grow into a good apple?

Mr. Shibata "I'm concerned that the rain is generally low this year. I want it to rain well in the rainy season. Then it's summer. It will be extremely hot this year, but the heat is fine. Because fears and typhoons also damage or drop apples, we can not stop worrying until harvest, and in 1991 a strong typhoon hit the telegraph pole, All apples fell off at the time of "harvest soon", and tears will come out when the thing which has been brought up to hand salt for several months has become useless. "

Although the way of bearing and shape vary depending on the fruit tree, Mr. Shibata, who narrows his eyes and says, "Every tree is as cute as my child". When asked, "What kind of apple do you want to make?" I said, "An apple that I would like to have a meal with you. I would like to make an apple that I want to eat more." The

我々の想像をはるかに超えるたくさんの作業を経て、大切に、大切に育てられていくことが分かった今回の生産者取材。次回は、りんごの実が大きく成長した頃に、また訪ねたいと思います。

By the way, Aomori Prefecture is famous for producing the best apples in Japan. Why are apples in Aomori delicious? Mr. Yasuhiko Ogasawara of "JA Aoren" who handles processing and sales of agricultural products in Aomori prefecture answered.

小笠原さん「全国で生産されているりんごの量は約81万トンですが、青森県ではその58％を占める47万トンのりんごが生産されています。日本一の生産量を誇るわけですが、その一番の理由として“気候”が挙げられます。一般的に、春先にりんごの花が咲いてから秋口の収穫期までの平均気温が13～21℃ぐらいだとりんごの栽培や生育に適しているといわれているのですが、夏の時期も比較的涼しい青森県は気候的にとても合っているんですね。昼夜の寒暖差が大きいことも、実の引き締まった、糖度の高いりんごをつくる要因といわれています」

Furthermore, the secret behind "the production amount number one of apples" is another! That is, the temperature in winter falls to below freezing. Apple trees that have fallen after being harvested enter the dormancy period from December to March, but without this period, it is said that flower buds do not appear even in spring. Aomori prefecture, which was cold in winter and relatively cool in summer, was the best environment for growing apples.

Mr. Shibata Aomori apples are grown carefully by farmers, but no matter how good an apple is made, it seems that about 15% will get scratched and some badly shaped apples will come out. These splashed apples are not sold as raw food, but they are not as bad in taste as they are used for processing such as juice and jam.

Mr. Ogasawara "acureThe Aomori Apple Series, which is sold on vending machines, is one such product. The first of the series was launched in 2010, triggered by a serious disaster that occurred in 2008. At first, it was the development of one Aomori apple blended juice item, but in Aomori prefecture there is still a lot of delicious apples, so I want everyone to know more, and in a style that can be compared by drinking from the next year It has changed. It's a 100% straight apple juice that you can enjoy the aroma and texture of the Aomori apple as it is. "

In "Series 7" of 2016,【Juice】Aomori ringo Tomato blend, Toki,"Orin",【Juice】Aomori ringo "Tsugaru","Fuji", Jona Blend, and expand the taste of six different apple juice. I am looking forward to "Series 8" scheduled to be released this fall!

※ "acureDrinks that can be purchased at the vending machine will differ depending on the station and time.

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