What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Finding land, working a small plot or anything else countryside related
Chuck2
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:36 am
Has thanked: 583 times
Been thanked: 267 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by Chuck2 »

Wolfsong013 wrote:
Sun Feb 28, 2021 3:25 pm
Hello everyone! Weather is warming up, and its been busy work ammending the soil for my new hatake.

I was wondering if anyone went through the steps to become an actual certified farmer?
I was hoping to buy another hatake and I heard that there are lots of subsidies avalible for farmers.
What is step one? I sold at my local michi no eki before, and I just had to certify that my goods were local goods to to area to sell there, and entered some kind of insurance scheme for my small farm. Since I moved, it seems like that kind of program doesn't exist, but I would like to expand and sell more than I have before.

I'm hoping to be a farmer, but more like a hobbiest farmer, since I still have my part-time day job.

Additionally, I was wondering what websites you use to find small workable land (for buying and/or renting). I went through old posts from before, but several of the websites seem like they havent been updated for quite some time.
I am certified farmer. It's been a few years since I got it. What I remember was the process was pretty painful. Painful meaning interview and lots of paperwork. We had to also make a business plan and this business plan had to achieve a preset income.

We got all our advice from the town office. So as a first step that would be the best place to start. Once approved you have acess to lots of subsidies and no interest loans. So doing it can be well worth it.

As for finding land, the best way is word of mouth. If you know where you want your hatake, see if you know someone in that area and see if they can start asking around. Great if that someone is an elder person who knows the current owners whereabouts. A lot of unused farmland is now owned by the children or grandchildren that no longer live in the area. This is how we found our current land and home.

Good luck! And one more piece of advice, not sure if this good advice or not but here goes. Why don't you go all in? You said your going to do a part-time job and part-time farmer. Why not full time farmer? First make sure you make a really good business plan and get help from your prefectural experts to do this. You might be surprised how successful you can be and if you fail, which you probably won't, you can always then go back to your part-time job.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

User avatar
DocDoesFarming
Posts: 1382
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:26 am
Location: 福島県
Has thanked: 824 times
Been thanked: 857 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by DocDoesFarming »

Zasso Nouka wrote:
Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:41 pm
So long as you don't have a concrete base anything you build is classed as a temporary building and subject to far less official attention.
Soooooo you're saying that the garage I have that has a soil type ground that I was thinking of concreting over should be left as is so I don't get fucked for tax and such?
I write a load of bollocks, don't take me seriously.

User avatar
Zasso Nouka
Tech Support
Tech Support
Posts: 5705
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:37 am
Location: Chiba Prefecture
Has thanked: 4120 times
Been thanked: 3394 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by Zasso Nouka »

DocDoesFarming wrote:
Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:11 pm
Soooooo you're saying that the garage I have that has a soil type ground that I was thinking of concreting over should be left as is so I don't get fucked for tax and such?
It's a grey area :lol:

A lot depends on your local council, if the building already exists and it's age and if the council become aware of it. In your case if the garage is obviously just a garage and you put in a concrete floor, rather than a foundation slab you would probably be fine but don't quote me on that if you do get taxed :twisted:
Hidden Content
This board requires you to be registered and logged-in to view hidden content.

Tora
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:53 am
Has thanked: 279 times
Been thanked: 847 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by Tora »

DocDoesFarming wrote:
Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:11 pm
Zasso Nouka wrote:
Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:41 pm
So long as you don't have a concrete base anything you build is classed as a temporary building and subject to far less official attention.
Soooooo you're saying that the garage I have that has a soil type ground that I was thinking of concreting over should be left as is so I don't get fucked for tax and such?
“Soilcrete” might be a cheap and easy midway solution. You spread Portland cement around on your dirt floor and work it in about 10cm with a tiller while misting with a hose to dampen it and activate the concrete. Then spread it flat and tamp it down. A rammer/compactor available from your local rental place or a construction worker friend/neighbor is the tool you really want for this. I like to think of it as redneck “tataki doma”.

I’m planning to to do this to keep our cars and delivery trucks from sinking into our parking area which used to be an underperforming rice field.

User avatar
DocDoesFarming
Posts: 1382
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:26 am
Location: 福島県
Has thanked: 824 times
Been thanked: 857 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by DocDoesFarming »

Tora wrote:
Thu Mar 04, 2021 9:59 pm
“Soilcrete” might be a cheap and easy midway solution. You spread Portland cement around on your dirt floor and work it in about 10cm with a tiller while misting with a hose to dampen it and activate the concrete. Then spread it flat and tamp it down. A rammer/compactor available from your local rental place or a construction worker friend/neighbor is the tool you really want for this. I like to think of it as redneck “tataki doma”.

I’m planning to to do this to keep our cars and delivery trucks from sinking into our parking area which used to be an underperforming rice field.
Cheers for this, sounds like a much better idea than concreting it over. :thumbup:
I write a load of bollocks, don't take me seriously.

Tora
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:53 am
Has thanked: 279 times
Been thanked: 847 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by Tora »

“Soil cement” and “dirtcrete” seem to be the popular/‘proper’ terms. A little searching on the Internet or YouTube should give you a good idea of the process.

Getting a couple friends over to help you take beer breaks might be a good idea if it’s a large area.

Now I just have to figure out to get a few truckloads of dirt for cheap or free so I can get our parking space raised and firmed up before the rainy season....

User avatar
DocDoesFarming
Posts: 1382
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:26 am
Location: 福島県
Has thanked: 824 times
Been thanked: 857 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by DocDoesFarming »

I've come across a few people here just digging out the side of a mountain I am pretty sure they don't own and hauling it away.
Maybe do the same if you have access to a small digger.
I write a load of bollocks, don't take me seriously.

Tora
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:53 am
Has thanked: 279 times
Been thanked: 847 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by Tora »

I have access to mountain and digger but getting the dirt down the mountain in a truck is the problem logistically. Doing it with manpower is logistically possible but I’ve moved enough dirt and stone that way and I’d rather die doing something more fun or at least something that would give my legacy more punch.

I’ll talk to some Freud’s who do construction work. Excavators often need a place to dump soil when they dig foundations for houses or other buildings.

Tora
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:53 am
Has thanked: 279 times
Been thanked: 847 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by Tora »

Tora wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:40 pm
I’ll talk to some Freud’s who do construction work.
Sorry. I meant to type “friends” not “Freud’s”. Pretty much the same idea though.

User avatar
Zasso Nouka
Tech Support
Tech Support
Posts: 5705
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:37 am
Location: Chiba Prefecture
Has thanked: 4120 times
Been thanked: 3394 times

What are the steps to actually becoming a certifiedfarmer?

Post by Zasso Nouka »

Tora wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:21 am
Sorry. I meant to type “friends” not “Freud’s”. Pretty much the same idea though.
I was scratching my head over that one and wondering if I'm too old to understand the slang you young whippersnappers are using :oops:

Post Reply