Date: October 12, 2024
Place:  Hachioji, Tokyo
Participants: 19 campers, 3 LIT, 8 care workers, 7 Mirai no Mori staff, 8 sponsors 
Sponsor: Avery Dennison
Program Partner: Isonuma Farm

On October 12th, Mirai no Mori welcomed the start of its Fall Back to Nature programs with a visit to Isonuma Dairy Farm in Hachioji. This event was sponsored by our generous partners at Avery Dennison, whose volunteer team joined our campers, Leaders in Training (LITs), and program staff for a day of learning, discovery, and hands-on experience. The goal of the program: to learn how milk and other dairy products make their way from the farm to our tables. 

The day kicked off with a fun orientation session where participants were divided into teams with farm-themed names like “Milk”, “Soft Cream”, and “Chicken Egg”. The teams were given the mission to uncover the timeline of dairy production, from the farm to the kitchen table. As campers heard the sounds of the cows coming from a distance, they became eager to dive into the adventure! 

Our dairy farm tour began with Ms.Isonuma personally walking us through the daily operations. The campers asked thoughtful questions about her routine and how she takes care of the animals. The children also learned valuable lessons about respecting and caring for animals. The highlight, of course, was the chance to meet and greet the cows! Campers had the opportunity to pet and feed the cows and, in the afternoon, try their hand at milking them—a first-time experience for many. 

Lunchtime was a true farm-to-table experience, prepared with love by the Isonuma Farm team. The meal included corn soup made with milk from the farm, beef sandwiches with egg salad, and fresh butter that the campers churned themselves in pairs! To top it all off, dessert featured delicious homemade yogurt. This meal wasn’t just incredibly flavorful, it complemented the day’s lessons about where our food comes from.

After lunch, some of the campers returned to spend a bit more time with the cows, feeding and learning their names. Each team then presented their findings about the dairy production timeline, with some choosing to act out a short play and others giving short speeches. It was interesting to see the different ways the groups approached the task. 

We closed the day with a reflection session, where participants spoke about many first-time experiences throughout the day. Many campers expressed a newfound appreciation for the hard work that goes into something as seemingly simple as milk. 

The Isonuma Farm visit gave us a chance to learn about a product we often take for granted, while also fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of respecting animals and the work that goes into dairy production. A huge thank you to Avery Dennison for sponsoring this enriching experience!

“It was scary to feed the cows at first, but I kept on trying and in the afternoon I gave them a lot of pineapple and cabbage, which was their food.” by camper 

“It was my first time petting a cow. They were very friendly and one of them licked my hand!” by camper

“I was happy to milk Miyu chan the cow. I made sure to greet her and thank her for letting us milk her. I was surprised that her milk was warm!” by camper

“I learned that Isonuma Farm is one of the few dairy farms in Japan that has 7 breeds of cows. I didn’t even imagine there were so many types so I made sure to see and pet them all.” by LIT

“I was surprised to see the elementary school students, who are usually not good with animals and initially overwhelmed by the large cows in the morning, able to pet a very large cow by the end of the day after seeing other children interacting with the cows and thanks to the encouragement of the staff.” by care worker

“The lunch, butter making, and milking experience provided a valuable opportunity to think about the connection between life and death.” by care worker

“Spending a day with the people of Mirai no Mori made me think about the meaning of the word ‘making’ milk. As a Tokyo dairy farmer who raises mother cows in an environment that even the cows enjoy, I was happy to be able to offer the children the valuable experience of milking and making butter.” by program partner