This week we visited our organic contract farms together with a client.
First image is from a secluded plantation among the many hidden valleys of the Kirishima highlands.

The second image is of an infant-plantation. The trees here were planted two years ago and still has two more years to grow before the farmer starts harvesting their leaves.

Yesterday April 5th marked the 2019 start of business at the Kagoshima Prefectural Tea Action House. Growers, brokers & packers from all over Kagoshima was present along with board members of the Kagoshima Farming cooperative. All the local television channels were providing coverage as tea holds a big share in the net product of Kagoshima.

Seen in the middle-left of the image below is a Shinto Priest performing a ritual prayer for good business in the coming season.

From this week forward daily auctions will be held until the end of august.

This weekend we visited a few select farms to check on the growth of the 2019 spring harvest. The plants are fairing well with most farms predicting the harvest to start three to five days earlier than average. Early cultivars from 7th of April, with later cultivars towards the end of April.

The above plantations are located on the Osumi Peninsula of Kagoshima Prefecture.