Indigo, Silkworms. Official Japanese Farmer

I an official Japanese farmer. I hear there are only a few of us non-Japanese certified here. I've been raising indigo and silkworms (growing mulberry) and 2000 square meters of green tea for many years now. The government officials came a few weeks back, checked me out and I received the certification a week later.
I received this t-shirt to commemorate the occasion.

I never managed to grow a full field of indigo last year because of other obligations. The field is fully planted this year and growing well. The first harvest will have to wait until I'm back from working in New York in July. It should be a bushy 75 centimeters tall by then.  I used a generous amount of chicken and pig manure this year and the indigo is grateful.

The days are packed with activities at the house. Up at the crack of dawn with Mark gathering mulberry for the silkworms. 

Yazaki san is teaching Gwen, Mark, Sana, Melody and Dillon to sew kimono upstairs next to the munching silkworms. They cut their stencils, dyed the fabric in indigo and started sewing them the next day. I am so proud of them.

 These guys are so proud of their hand stitched work. Mark made a denim kimono to wear to his brother's wedding in Ireland this summer. It will be cool paired with his family tartan kilt.

Melody and Sana cut these stencils like honey badgers. So much talent around the house this rainy season.