A welfare office for people with disabilities where everyone can work with peace of mind
Morinoki Farm Co., Ltd. supports our company by delivering its own shiitake mushrooms and contracting for in-house work such as packing onions in nets. With the concept of "redesigning society through welfare," the company operates a shiitake mushroom factory where people with disabilities work, and provides training for employment and daily life. We visited the shiitake mushroom factory with Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto, the representative of the company, and asked them about their thoughts on their business and their future plans.
Morinoki Farm Co., Ltd. started as a shiitake mushroom factory where people with disabilities work mainly in the Gaju area of Minami-Awaji City. Currently, the company operates five businesses: Type B labor support, support for transition to employment, training for self-reliance, support for establishing employment, and after-school day care services. One of the businesses in the "support for continuous employment Type B" program is the cultivation of shiitake mushrooms on mushroom beds. Through the cultivation of shiitake mushrooms, we provide people who have difficulty working under employment contracts due to their characteristics or physical strength with a workplace where they can improve their skills and work with peace of mind.
Characteristics of Morinoki Farm's Shiitake Mushrooms
One of the characteristics of the shiitake mushrooms grown in-house by Morinoki Farm is that they are handmade from the very beginning, starting with the mushroom beds. This bed is a mixture of sawdust and nutrients, and it takes about 100 days to complete one bed. The ingredients are all derived from nature, and no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used. After the mushroom beds have finished their role of cultivating shiitake mushrooms, they are offered free of charge to local farmers as soil conditioners.
Next, the company is also characterized by its integrated production of shiitake mushrooms, from cultivation to shipping, at its own factory. We maintain a good environment for growing shiitake mushrooms in our factory, but it is very difficult to control the air conditioning both in summer and winter. We can harvest shiitake mushrooms from one bed about four times, but in the summer we harvest only once. In addition, we use a lot of air conditioning in summer and heating in winter, so it costs a lot of money for electricity and kerosene to maintain a suitable environment for shiitake mushroom cultivation. Although it looks natural, this vegetable requires a lot of energy, and the fact that the workload fluctuates is also a challenge," explained Matsumoto.
Harvesting is done by three people, mainly workers with disabilities. 30 shiitake mushrooms are harvested from a single bed, and an average of 180 kg is harvested per day. The mushrooms are then sorted by grade and delivered to markets and retailers.
For sorting, we cut the shafts and separate them into the following grades: superior, flattened, and odd-shaped, and then pack and bag them. The larger size shiitake mushrooms are generally preferred because of their texture. Small shiitake mushrooms that are easy to use are popular in restaurants and hotels," said Mr. Matsumoto, carefully holding the shiitake mushrooms in his hands before they are shipped out. He explained carefully as he held the shiitake mushrooms in his hands before they are shipped out, showing the time and effort that goes into getting Morinoki Farm's shiitake mushrooms on the table.
The last feature is taste and safety.
Morinoki Farm's shiitake mushrooms are in high demand during the nabe (hot pot) season. They are characterized by their firm, chewy texture and sweet taste. Like the mushroom beds, the mushrooms are grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and are packed through a metal detector before shipping. Matsumoto says that his shiitake mushrooms, which are safe and secure while also being particular about taste and texture, are gaining a growing number of local fans. When we participate in events, local customers tell us, "We buy them all the time! or "It's so good, I came back to buy more! I am grateful and happy, and I am motivated. It's gratifying and makes me happy, and it motivates me.
A sense of "mutual respect" that is transforming local communities
His wife, Erina, says she started working at Morinoki Farm with the representative, Mr. Matsumoto. She says she catches glimpses of heartwarming moments in the daily routine of supporting the users. I had a chance to go with them to inspect the products that they had made in-house, and I was moved when I heard them say, "This is a job they are giving us because they trust us. I was able to witness the moment when the users' confidence grew, and I felt that it was a good job. I would like to continue to interact with many people and expand my circle of friends through growing shiitake mushrooms.
Mr. Matsumoto feels that a sense of "mutual support," in which everyone supports each other to the extent they can, will be important in the future society. Morinoki Farm not only grows shiitake mushrooms, but also provides employment support for those who need assistance in working and daycare services for children with developmental concerns. Our goal is to become a company that people come to know about Morinoki Farm through our shiitake mushrooms and feel that they can consult with that shiitake company about anything with peace of mind. In the future, I would like to make use of my experience in supporting people with disabilities at Morinoki Farm to create a place and service that can help people resolve the "difficulties in living" that anyone can have," he said.
All the shiitake mushrooms grown at Morinoki Farm are returned to facility users as wages, after subtracting the cost of materials from the sales. Growing the shiitake mushroom business leads to an improvement in the quality of life for the users. Matsumoto's mission to redesign the local community continues.
Collaboration event between Uzu-no-oka Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall and Morinoki Farm
Uzu no Oka Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall will hold the "Uzu no Oka Autumn Shiitake Mushroom Festival" event on November 4 and 5, 2023, in collaboration with "Morinoki Farm"!
Awaji Beef Wrapped Hamburger Steak Today is Meat Day" will sell a shiitake mushroom festival limited side menu "Meat Meat Mushrooms". Roasted beef and shiitake mushrooms are grilled on skewers over binchotan charcoal. Enjoy the meatiness of the Awaji beef and the plumpness of the shiitake mushrooms with a light ponzu sauce.
It will be two days full of shiitake mushrooms for adults and children alike to enjoy at various stores and venues! We are looking forward to seeing many visitors.
