Bottle waste vegetables! FARM CANNING Chie Nishimura

FARM CANNING is a catering business that manufactures and sells bottled vegetables using organic vegetables and non-standard vegetables in Zushi City.
This time, we interviewed the representative, Ms. Chie Nishimura, who deals with recycling-oriented agriculture and non-standard vegetables, based on the concept of "making more fields everyday".

Chie Nishimura, representative of FARM CANNING

The beginning is bottled up the memory of the field
Mr. Nishimura originally had experience in setting up and operating organic cafes in Tokyo. With the birth of her second child, she wanted to eat local vegetables for local production for local consumption, and moved from Tokyo to Hayama-cho to look forward to it. However, when he actually lived there, he found it difficult to find local vegetables grown without pesticides.

One day, I met a farmer who cultivated without pesticides and chemical fertilizers. While learning about the difficulty and necessity of pesticide-free cultivation and the beauty of life, I also learned that non-standard, so-called "products with a reason" that are still produced are often not sold even if they are grown with time and effort. That's right.

Super cute carrots

Is it possible to do something about it, or can we reduce it to the farmers even a little? With that thought in mind, FARM CANNING was launched by myself to try bottling non-standard vegetables.
“Canning” has the meaning of bottling. I started selling bottled products at Marche while repeatedly making prototypes at home with the idea of “I will bottle the memories of the field and bring them home!”

Good for your mind and body
“Diet and health are closely related, so I want to spread what I think is good for the body,” says Mr. Nishimura.
We often see jams and pickles as bottled products, but jam itself has a lot of sugar and is preferred with bread and sweets, and pickles are also a product that people like to eat with bread and meat.
The first thing that Mr. Nishimura values in developing products is "products that are good for the mind and body." The second is "something that can be used as a side dish that can be eaten with rice, which is suitable for our Japanese bodies."

Rice goes well just by sprinkling flavored oil on vegetables and fish

Failed to make a prototype! A big complaint from my family!
Mr. Nishimura says that it was a series of failures and successes until his flagship product Bagna Cauda Sauce was completed.

In particular, the pumpkin was a big mistake. Fermentation started in one day and it began to emit a strange smell. Pumpkin has a high number of indigenous bacteria, and he told me with nostalgia that he did not know that it was necessary to add vinegar or lemon to stabilize the pH so that the bacteria would not be activated. .

Make a sauce by making a large amount of carrot paste at once

He repeatedly failed, and he felt helpless every time he ruined the non-standard vegetables that he thought had been saved from being thrown away.
Mr. Nishimura says strongly that he has been able to continue until now without quitting, saying, "I am able to continue because I am needed by society."

Bagna cauda sauce on the signboard menu

Bagna cauda sauce (beets, carrots), Genovese sauce (komatsuna)

We spent four years developing bottling products, and we have made a variety of products, but the bagna cauda sauce made with shio-koji has become a standard product.
“Not only is it delicious, but it also maintains its quality no matter who cooks it, and it can be stored without fermenting like pumpkins (laughs). Mr. Nishimura's expression seemed to be filled with relief and joy when he said that.

This bagna cauda sauce sells many seasonal products in addition to the standard products.

Currently, the seasonal cauliflower bagna cauda sauce is newly added . It is sweet and very delicious. It goes well with vegetables with a bitter taste, such as rape blossoms that have been circulating little by little!

In addition, this is a yuzu miso that can be enjoyed not only with konnyaku and daikon radish, but also with boiled tofu and nabemono. On a cold day, Farm Canning's homemade miso is sure to warm you from the inside out.

We try to express the beauty of nature by using colorful vegetables, and actively incorporate non-standard fruits depending on the season.

Another is Mr. Nishimura, who is developing a catering business that makes use of non-standard vegetables called "mottainai catering." It is a business model that does not leave unsold items because it is devised to reduce waste such as paper plates as much as possible, and it also purchases vegetables and cooks after receiving a request.

I want you to think about the background of food

At the Hata Club, you can learn about the cycle of nature through working in the fields with your friends.

Mr. Nishimura, who continues to learn about the connection between agriculture and the environment, food and our health with an inquisitive mind and respect, says, "I want to convey the beauty of the cycle of life, cheerfully and happily."
continue,
“I want you to spend some time thinking about the food of your region, and I hope you will think about the background of food,” says Mr. Nishimura.

For example, Kanagawa Prefecture has a history of prospering suburban agriculture after the war, and since it has both mountains and the sea, it is said that it is actually a region where various kinds of products can be harvested. I wondered what kind of seafood I could no longer eat due to changes. Or you can buy and eat only Kanagawa products while having fun like playing a game.

Harvested vegetables come in various shapes

“If each person becomes conscious of production and diet, they will become more conscious of the environment and health, and little by little things will change for the better. I believe that each and every one of us is in control of the future where it becomes commonplace,” he said with a smile.

FARM CANNING official website here
ONLINE SHOPhere
*You can purchase bottles of FARM CANNING and Mr. Nishimura's book.
Instagram here
* Check here for the latest information such as information on new products!
Recruiting members for Hata Club from April