In April 2023, eight elementary school students were presented with a letter of appreciation by the police for taking appropriate actions such as protecting a girl who was crying in a park in Nishi Ward, Niigata City, and asking passersby to report the incident. Eight third-year students from Akatsuka Elementary School in Nishi Ward, Niigata City received letters of appreciation. On the 26th, a letter of appreciation was presented to him by Chief Akira Kuwayama of Niigata Nishi Police Station. According to the police, the eight children were playing in a park in Nishi Ward, Niigata City on the 10th of this month when they spotted a four-year-old girl crying near the entrance and called out to her. Since the girl was wearing pajama-like clothes and bare legs, she thought she might be lost, so she went to a nearby police station, but there were no police officers there, so she asked a passing woman to call the police. I requested a report. At that time, she heard that the child met a daycare worker who had been contacted by her family and was looking for the girl, and that the girl was later safely returned to her family.
【Product name】
Himekansen
【Type】
Citrullus lanatus
【Producing area】
Akatsuka, Nishi Ward, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture (JA Niigata Kagayaki (formerly JA Niigata Mirai), JA Zennoh Niigata)
【Origin of name】
From the taste like a sweet spring that you can eat deliciously even near your skin.
【Major features】
JA Kitakan Minami, JA Sasakami, JA Niigata Mirai, JA Niitsu Satsuki, and JA Echigo Chuo in the Kaetsu area of Niigata Prefecture merged on April 1st, prior to the establishment of the new “JA Niigata Kagayaki” in Niigata. The prefecture issued a merger certificate to the establishment committee on March 22, 2022. The 5JA scheduled to be merged spans Niigata City, Agano City, Gosen City, Tsubame City, Aga Town, and Yahiko Village, and the total number of union members is 6309 (as of 2020, total of regular union members and associate union members). The cultivated area of the fields is 41,502 hectares. The merger will make it the largest JA in the prefecture, and it seems that it will strengthen the management base and improve efficiency. In addition, the total number of JAs in the prefecture has decreased from 23 to 19 due to this merger. “JA Niigata Kagayaki”, which was born by the merger of 5JA in the South of Kaetsu, was launched on April 1, 2022, and a ceremony is being held at the head office in Nishikan Ward, Niigata City. In the Kurosaki area where green soybeans production is thriving (the town disappeared due to the merger with Niigata City on January 1, 2001), as of mid-May 2022, shipments of bright spring broccoli with soft stems peaked. Seems to be there. The name of broccoli, which will reach its peak in late May in the Kurosaki district of Nishi Ward, Niigata City, is “Pixel BROCCOLI (from Sakata Seed Co., Ltd. It seems to be suitable for cold regions and spring-summer sowing in Hokkaido from summer to autumn. In general summer sowing, it can be sown in mid-August, and it seems to be the best for high-quality broccoli to be shipped first as a production area. Be careful when sowing because anthocyan (a group of water-soluble pigments that show red, blue, purple, etc., which are found in fruits and flowers) can be seen. Dark green flower buds can be harvested from mid-April before the holidays. In open-field cultivation, it seems that late February and late May are the best time to harvest. If the number of leaves required for flower bud development is not yet differentiated and a low temperature is encountered, flower bud differentiation will occur at an early stage, but this plant will occur when nutritional growth is inhibited by low temperature, lack of fertilizer, moisture damage, etc.) Be careful because it is dangerous. Also, because it has good shelf life, it seems that there is little deterioration in quality after harvesting in the high temperature period. It seems that it can be sown up to. Especially because the flower buds are tight, high quality flower buds can be harvested even in October when the temperature is low in the latter half of the growth. It seems that it is necessary to select the sowing time and cultivation area. In order to contribute to the maintenance and development of domestic vegetable production areas, sponsored by the Japan Seedling Association, we will try out varieties that are on sale or in the process of growing and compare them by actual cultivation. And select excellent varieties: 50th All Japan Vegetable Variety Examination Committee First Prize Special Award, 54th All Japan Vegetable Variety Examination Committee First Prize Special Award)” . In the Kurosaki area, where green soybeans are actively produced, broccoli is cultivated in the same field in spring and autumn to prevent continuous cropping problems. This year, thanks to the rise in temperature and moderate rain in April, the result is good. In addition, Kurosaki’s broccoli seems to extend the period of keeping freshness by cooling to the core in a vacuum state for 10 minutes. By doing this work, it seems that shelving at retail stores and supermarkets can be extended for two to three days. Also, the speed of growth is fast, and the timing of harvest seems to be important. It seems that there are days when producers harvest 1000 pieces a day at the peak and start work at 1 am according to the shipment. JA Niigata Kagayaki has jurisdiction over the Shirane district (Minami Ward, Niigata City), Gosen District (Gosen City), Kameda / Yokokoshi District (Konan Ward, Niigata City), Aga District (Aga Town), and Nishi Niigata District (Nishi Ward, Niigata City). It consists of five districts, extending from the coast of the Sea of Japan overlooking Sado to the border of Fukushima prefecture. Centered on Niigata City, the first ordinance-designated city on the Sea of Japan side, it is blessed with a wide variety of environments, including coastal dunes, vast Echigo plains, and lush mountainous areas. At the time of 2014, 41% of rice and 59% of vegetables, fruits and flowers were produced in Niigata, but mainly vegetables and fruits. The Niigata Nishi district (Akatsuka district, Uchino district, Sakaiwa district), where the Nishi Farming Center is located, is located about 16 km west of the city center, with vast sand dunes and paddy rice-centered management. It is an area where agricultural management centered on horticultural items is carried out even in Niigata prefecture, which occupies most of the area. There are many full-time farmers in the farming system centered on watermelon and radish vegetables, but in recent years, the acreage has been declining due to the aging of farmers and the slump in agricultural product prices. Leaf tobacco, which used to be a key crop, has decreased significantly since 2012 due to the recruitment of abandoned farmers, and although items have been converted to sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes, the area used in the fields seems to be declining. Mainly, the processed radish used for pickling Takuan is also planted on about 222 hectares, and it seems that the cultivated area of green onions has increased for a while as a conversion from such heavy items. The number of green onion producers, acreage, and sales amount have remained unchanged, with 70 green onion producers planting about 40 hectares. In recent years, the cultivated area has been stable, and with the aging of processed radish producers, it can be said that green onions are one of the items that are expected to increase. Regarding cultivation, it seems that it will start with “spring green onions”, which are cultivated over the winter and harvested in the spring of the following year, and then “summer green onions” and “autumn winter green onions”. Autumn and winter green onions, which make the best use of the prefecture’s climate, have the largest planted area, but in recent years the prices have been stable, so we cultivated and managed them in the heat of the heat with the risk in mind. It seems that it is aiming to produce and ship summer onions in line with the high price of the monthly tray. Summer onions are sown in late January and planting begins in late March. I think that Niigata Prefecture has a lot of snow, but the field in the jurisdiction is within 1 km from the coast, and even if it snows, it rarely becomes root snow that does not melt until spring, and even in the prefecture there is little delay in planting due to snow, and it was blessed. It is famous as an area where green onions can be cultivated under the location conditions. In particular, autumn and winter green onions are sold under the brand name of “Yawahada; Harmony texture green onions” because they have a soft and moist luster due to the cool temperature and humidity suitable for growth. Long onion is relatively strong against dryness, but weak against moisture damage. In recent years, there have been heavy rains of guerrillas due to abnormal weather (climate is greatly deviated from the average state), but the sand dunes are well drained and the fields are not flooded, and even if high temperature drying continues, it is abundant. All fields are equipped with sprinkler irrigation facilities that use groundwater. I hear that the most important thing in production is the soil gathering to make the soft white part. Since only that part is finished in soft white, the producer uses the “soil gathering guide stick” created by the green onion subcommittee so that the producer can understand how much the soil is gathered, and thoroughly manages the cultivation so that the length of the soft white is uniform. Seems to be. In order to improve the quality of producers and promptly respond to complaints from retailers, the binding tape has the name of the producer, and it is said that the quality of the producers is improved and the sense of responsibility is raised. In addition, unannounced quality inspections are conducted once or twice a week to level the quality. It is brilliant that efforts are being made to maintain quality by downgrading items that do not meet the selection criteria according to the agreement of the subcommittee. The inspection itself is carried out by the producers themselves, and the system is in place to inspect the products of all producers throughout the season. At the strong request of the club members, a vacuum precooler was introduced in 2005 to maintain the quality of summer onions. It deals with 5 companies outside the prefecture and 4 companies in the prefecture market, and the shipment volume is 50% outside the prefecture and 50% inside the prefecture, and the outside of the prefecture is mainly in the Kanto region. At the site, a matching meeting is held at the same time as the sales meeting, and the market staff asks for opinions on the selection details and selection methods for other production areas, which are used as a reference. In addition, in order to refer to new initiatives, we visit advanced areas and visit markets outside the prefecture to confirm future sales strategies and selection of other production areas. In recent years, we have begun efforts to ship green onions that do not meet the standards as “green onions for processing” to processors, but this has led to a decrease in shipments of B products during the market crash and during the rainy season from around November, and A products. It seems that it also leads to the maintenance of the unit price of. Ikarashi Higashi 3 no Town, Nishi Ward, Niigata City: Suwa Shrine sits on a small hill on the west side of Shinkawa, which runs through the town of Uchino. The stone pillar on the way to the shrine says “Suwa Shrine,” and the forehead of the shrine says Suwa Shrine. The “Shrine statement book” says “Ikarashi Hamamura, Nishikambara District, Kawakami, unqualified company, Suwanoyashiro”. The deity is Takeminakata no Mikoto. It is a local god of some of the former Ikarashi Hama village, but its founding date is unknown. It is said that the Naka Ikarashi district (currently the Niigata University campus area) was severely damaged by sand and moved to Yamaikarashi (currently Ikarashi 3 Town) around 1789-1800. The approach is long, and there are two stone torii gates in addition to the vermilion one torii gate. The second torii has the inscription of the 5th year of Tenpo (1834). Both the hall of worship and the main hall are large, and there are plenty of detailed sculptures. There is an appendix in the “Detailed Book” that says “Notification of extension and renovation on October 28, 1908”. The main shrine is built independently behind the main shrine. To the right of the shrine is Shinmeisha (Amaterasu Omikami). Nishi Ward, Niigata City: From the excavation survey of the Otate site (near Kurotori and Otateryutsu 1-chome and 2-chome: In 1952, a pot-shaped pottery was found beside the shrine of Choritsu Hachimangu Shrine. This triggered the existence of the Otate site. It seems that each of the complex ruins from the Jomon period to the Middle Ages is showing prosperity. Most of the excavated pottery was from the southern part of the Tohoku region, and Jomon was applied, and the basic pattern was the same as that of the late Jomon pottery. It seems that it has come to be considered as a pottery of the previous term. The pottery excavated in the three surveys of 1952, 1957, and 1958 is designated as a cultural property of the city as “Otate pottery batch”. The circular burial mound with the butterbur stones of the early Kofun period is the only one confirmed by excavation in the Kanbara Plain, which makes us imagine the existence of a powerful person. In the Nara-Heian period, the remains of excavated pillar buildings and wells, which are thought to be large warehouses, and relics such as dice, tile towers, Wadokaichin, and ritual tools (human face ink writing pottery, wooden products) were discovered. , It is presumed to be a ruin with a governmental character, and it has been pointed out that it is related to the Matoba ruins 800 m east.) and the Rokujiyama site (Sowa), people from the end of the Jomon period to the Yayoi period lived on the sand dunes in Nishi Ward. He knows he has started. During the Kofun period, it seems that an old burial mound (round burial mound) with Fukiishi was built at the Otate site. In the Nara period, there were regional bases that had the function of a government office, such as fishing for salmon and managing supplies sent to the capital, at the Otate site and the nearby Matobaryutsu site (near Matobaryutsu 2-chome). It is said that it was created and the number of villages has increased. The Oyabu site (near Akatsuka) around Sagata is a site from the Jomon period, but many ceramics and coins imported from China that can be seen after the Heian and Kamakura periods have been excavated. In the early Edo period (17th century), the development of new rice fields in the Echigo Plain progressed, and in addition to the sand dune villages that were relatively few west of the Shinano River, villages were formed along the natural levee of the Nishikawa River. In 1820, a new river that drained water from Migata (Tagata, Ogata, Armored Lagoon) was completed and passed through. (Achievement of grade separation with Nishikawa by bottom gutter) In 1889, Niigata City enforced the city system as one of the first cities in Japan. Nishi Ward is located west of the Shinano River and Sekiya diversion channel in Niigata City, and is composed mainly of the Sakaiwa district, Kurosaki district, and Nishi district of the former Niigata city. The population of the ward is the second among all eight wards in the city, and the area is about 94 km2, which is the fifth among all eight wards in the city. In the ward, good residential areas are formed mainly along railway lines and highways, and there are agricultural land and rural settlements on the south side. In addition, there are many rivers such as the Shinano River, Nakanokuchi River, Nishikawa, and Shinkawa, lagoons such as Sagata and Mitaraigata, and watersides such as the Sea of Japan. At the same time, there are several universities as advanced academic research institutes, and it is said that community development where academics, culture, and industry interact is being promoted with the participation of residents of all ages. In terms of industry, it is a ward with active commercial activities, and the annual product sales amount is the second among all eight wards in the city. In the agricultural field, upland farming is popular, producing branded products known inside and outside the prefecture, such as Kurosaki tea beans, Niigata watermelon, and Akatsuka radish（October 26, 1978: The sand dunes in the direction of Uchino and Akatsuka have been known as radish producing areas since the Meiji era. In particular, the sand dunes centered on Sagata are suitable for the prefecture’s representative production areas, and as far as the eye can see, radish fields continue as far as the eye can see, and the cultivated area covers 130 ha. “Japanese white radish” for raw consumption is made in a field that is about 10% of the size. It is a late-maturing long cylinder with good shape and white and smooth characteristics.）. In terms of transportation, the Hokuriku Expressway runs north-south on the east side of the ward, and the Niigata Nishi IC and Kurosaki Smart IC have been developed and are connected to the Ban-etsu Expressway and the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway. In addition, National Highways 8, 116, and 402 pass through, and the railway has seven JR Echigo Line stations, and it seems that integration is progressing. Since Sagata became a Ramsar Convention wetland in March 1996, the Sagata Waterfowl and Wetlands Center（Akatsuka）will serve as a base facility for dissemination and enlightenment, research and monitoring of the conservation of waterflies and wetlands in May 1998. It is a facility opened in. In recent years, the momentum for conserving wetlands as a habitat for waterfowl is increasing all over the world. Under these circumstances, Sagata is recognized as an internationally important wetland as a habitat for waterfowl, and has become a Ramsar Convention wetland. In addition, although the city is a large city with a population of 800,000, we are very proud that such a rich and precious lagoon remains in the suburbs. In order to pass on this rich nature to future generations, we will strive to preserve the natural environment surrounding the lagoon, and promote the wise use of “Lagoon” while aiming for coexistence between nature and humans through rich contact with nature. It seems to go. Cultivation of prince melon began around 1963 in the prefecture, and various varieties have been cultivated now. It is said that melons in Niigata prefecture can be roughly divided into two types depending on the cultivation method. One is “Tunnel melon” cultivated in the field, and the other is “Greenhouse melon” cultivated in the greenhouse. Tunnel melons are cultivated on the ground as if they were in the field. Greenhouse melons can only be attached to one plant per plant by three-dimensional cultivation in which the vine is stretched vertically. Therefore, tunnel melons are sold at reasonable prices for home use, and house melons are sold as high-class fruits for use. In recent years, shipments of red meat melons have been increasing in tunnel melons. It seems that melons are artificially bred by humans, or honeybees are bred and settled, and the date of mating is recorded on a label. It depends on the variety and cropping type, but it is harvested in about 50 days after mating. Its good or bad is determined by its melting meat quality, sweetness, and aroma. In Nishi Ward, watermelon cultivation that makes the best use of the sand dunes is popular. I heard that Soleil melons are made in the house after the cultivation of watermelon is finished. It is characterized by its softness, stable sweetness, few seeds, and many places to eat. Since 2018, Niigata City has been constructing a Greenhouse housing complex by utilizing the city’s support project for large-scale horticulture and production. Last year, Niigata Prefecture also formulated the “Basic horticultural promotion strategy” with the goal of doubling the number of horticultural production areas with sales of 100 million yen or more from the current 51 production areas to 101 production areas, and strengthened support for large-scale horticultural production. Although it is a small ball, Himekansen watermelon is characterized by a high sugar content of 13 degrees or more, which is comparable to large ball watermelon, and fresh flesh full of crispness. Since there are few seeds, it is easy to eat, and because the skin is thin, there is almost no place to throw it away. The pericarp is dark green, and the thick and clear stripes are impressive. Since the outer skin is hard, it has excellent transportability, and it has an excellent shelf life and is popular as an excellent agricultural product that is highly evaluated by the people concerned. Himekansen Watermelon is a small ball watermelon sold by Marutane Co., Ltd. (Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture). It tends to have stable quality, sugar content, and crispness. Since there are relatively few seeds, it is easy to eat even for young children. Also, a small ball watermelon with a long shelf life The pericarp is about 3 mm, but it is hard and firm, so it seems that there are few cracks during cultivation. Also, it seems that fruit cracking during transportation is unlikely to occur. The epidermis is dark green and the thick stripes are clear. The flesh has a bright red color and there are few seeds. It consumes a lot because it can be eaten up to the skin.
In the middle of June 2022, shipments of the main variety “Himekansen watermelons” reached its peak in Nishi Ward, Niigata City, one of the leading production areas of Small ball watermelons in Niigata Prefecture. It was warm in early spring this season, and there was a clear temperature difference between day and night.
The Akatsuka district in Nishi Ward, Niigata City, where watermelons are grown, is located along the Sea of Japan and is famous for being part of the Niigata Sand Dunes. The loose, well-drained soil seems to be well-suited for growing this excellent desert-indigenous crop. Not only does it grow vigorously, but it also occurs in watermelons grafted onto Phomopsis sclerotioides (generally white-flowered gourd). The tip of the vine wilts during the day and recovers in cloudy and rainy weather.The wilting spreads over the entire leaf before long, and it seems to tend to wither gradually. A part of the fine root turns brown and rots at first, but eventually it will rot. It seems that the taproot and branch roots are partially browned, fine roots fall off, and the amount of roots decreases. As the symptoms progress, the entire root becomes brown to blackish brown, and black striped lesions (pseudosclerotia) on the surface of the roots. I hear that if the fruit withers just before harvest, the fruits will not be fruitful and the sugar content will not rise, making it impossible to ship.
According to Niigata City, sand dune watermelon has a long history of cultivation, and it seems that it began with pillow-shaped watermelons planted in the mid-Meiji period. Around 1963, the planted area began to increase, and thanks to the dramatic progress in cultivation technology and the tireless efforts of producers, it seems that today it has been established as a production area that can be shipped early.
