In a twist on getting down to earth, I have seen story after story highlighting how some Japanese are at least considering going back to the farm in light of the current economic turmoill.
Natsuko Fukue shines a light on a sub trend in Younger farmers blogging their way to success (Japan Times, May 21).
He notes that "a growing number of young, savvy farmers are trying to make the industry more attractive and profitable through the Internet".
Amongst this crew "Shinichi Soga may be one of the most successful farmers so far. His tomatoes are
selling like hot cakes thanks partly to his popular Web log, which he
started in 2006, initially as a way to connect
with customers and other farmers. The blog, titled Furyo Nomin (the
Delinquent Farmer), depicts his life in rural Niigata and is viewed
more than 10,000 times a month"
The Grow a Farmer 2009 Campaign in the US (pictured below) uses some of the same tools to make farming attractive to younger people.
Will all this go the way of the communes from decades past? Time will tell.
Farm revival for Tokyo Thursdays # 88