Shimane Prefecture: My Latest Travel Piece Exploring Japan

Matsue Castle in Shimane Prefecture.

A recent trip to Shimane Prefecture on Japan's western side proved to be one of the most fascinating experiences yet. These trips are never long enough, and I'm always left wishing I had just one more day or a little more time to see just one more thing, ask one more question, hear one more story. Shimane was no exception. A remarkable little corner of Japan steeped in history and tradition, legend weaves itself through history and daily life. Read my article for the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and then head off to discover it for yourself.

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Finding Heirloom Seeds in Japan

Drying pods of heirloom Hutterite Soup Beans. Since moving to Japan eight years ago, one of my greatest challenges as a farmer-gardener has been to find heirloom or open-pollinated seeds. The majority of seeds available are not GMO (genetically modified organisms) as Japan, at this point, doesn't accept this material. Most seeds, though, are nearly all F1 varieties. Heirloom and F1 Varieties In plant breeding, F1 is the name given to the first generation of a cross between two true breeding parents. For example, if I decide to cross an Amish Paste Tomato with another heirloom variety tomato such as Emmy, in hopes of getting a gold paste tomato, the resulting generation of fruit is F1. In order to get that tomato of my culinary dreams, I'll need to choose members of that first generation that are headed in a direction I like - early ripening, medium-sized fruit, good taste - and save their seeds. I'll plant them and repeat the process again and again over time unti

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Japan Farmers Markets

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