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A refreshing taste with a sweet aroma. The power of "free-range farming" produces the "best quality milk."

2022.08.02

Teshio Town is a town in northern Hokkaido where dairy farming is thriving. There, you will find Uno Farm, where 140 cows graze on a vast pastureland of 230 hectares (about the size of 50 Tokyo Domes).

Founded in 1945, the current president is Takeshi Uno, the third generation of the company. Since starting farming in 2005, he has been working hard on various initiatives to update the traditional concept of dairy farming in Japan.

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A New Zealand farm that changed people's perceptions
Wanting to dramatically change the image people have of dairy farming
Healthy cows are born from a healthy diet
Carefully selected "best quality milk" and the "organic drinkable yogurt" that results from it
"Trocchete Uno" is popular for its five flavors
An endless challenge and a love for the hometown that we want to protect

A New Zealand farm that changed people's perceptions

Although Uno-san is now the one who takes the lead in managing the farm, he had seen his parents working hard as dairy farmers since he was a child, and at first he had no intention of taking over the family business. However, after he went to Rakuno Gakuen University and learned about dairy farming in New Zealand, his attitude changed dramatically.

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New Zealand's economy is supported by the export of livestock products, so they want to keep costs as low as possible when raising cattle. Therefore, instead of the Japanese style of raising cattle in barns using various facilities, they basically raised cattle outdoors day and night, feeding them on grass that grows on pastures, which allows them to grow naturally and healthily.

I want to dramatically change the image people have of dairy farming

Uno experienced this farming style in the country and was surprised: the milk from cows that eat only grass is obviously of better quality than that from Japanese cows, which are fed feed containing grains to increase milk yields.

"It's not just about quality. If we could introduce grazing, we wouldn't need to look after the animals for long periods of time, and we would have more free time. Dairy farming is known as the "3K" kind of work, and people had the image of it being early in the morning and working without any days off, but I was convinced that we could dispel that negative image."

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So after graduating from university in 2005, Uno decided to take over the family business, and little by little he incorporated the techniques he learned in New Zealand into Uno Farm.

Healthy cows come from a healthy diet

To produce good quality milk, it is necessary to pay attention to the diet of the cows. At Uno Farm, they are not fed any grains and are only fed nutritious fresh young leaves except in winter.

"My father got sick, which was also the reason we switched to raising our cows on 100% pasture. When you're sick, it's important to eat something nutritious. I thought that good quality milk might be good for your health, too."

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Milk that is nourished only by grass contains many beneficial fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins. Uno plants five types of grass to balance the nutrition of his cows, and grows them using the power of the soil without using chemical fertilizers. The ranch is divided into areas that the cows can eat in half a day, and by moving to the next area every half day, he creates an environment where they can always eat new young leaves.

Carefully selected "best quality milk" and the "organic drinkable yogurt" that results from it

The milk produced in this way was commercialized in 2020 under the product name "We have reached the highest quality milk in the history of Uno Farm." The milk has obtained three organic JAS certifications: organic feed, organic livestock products, and organic processed foods.

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With its refreshing taste and soft, sweet aroma, it is gaining more and more fans of all ages every day.

In addition, the company's proud milk is processed into a variety of products, with "organic drinking yogurt" being one of the most popular items.

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According to the government, 1 ml of yogurt contains more than 10 million lactic acid bacteria, but as a result of the utmost care taken in raising the cows, soil, and grass, Uno Farm's yogurt has been found to contain 520 million lactic acid bacteria.

"Trocchete Uno" is popular for its five flavors

Another popular item is "Trocchete Uno," a sweet developed based on milk tofu, a product once commonly made by dairy farmers.

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Milk tofu is a taste that Uno remembers fondly from his childhood. Originally, it was made by solidifying the protein with vinegar, but this inevitably left a distinctive sour taste. So, like with tofu, he used bittern to preserve the freshly squeezed flavor.

With its subtle sweetness and smooth texture, you can enjoy drinking milk in a totally new way. There are five flavors in the lineup, and it also makes a great gift.

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An endless challenge and a love for the hometown that we want to protect

Uno's challenge is not over yet. He is currently working on making cheese using his proud milk, while borrowing the wisdom of artisans. He also hopes that by producing high-quality milk and dairy products, the appeal of Teshio Town itself will spread.

"The increase in the number of people leaving farming has a bearing on the survival of Teshio Town. It may sound like an exaggeration, but I want to promote the town by spreading the word about the appeal of dairy farming and to protect it."

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With this in mind, Uno will continue to pour his heart and soul into raising his cows. His passion as a dairy farmer continues to burn brightly.

Writer Profile

Magazine/Book Editor & Writer Kyohei Yamashita

While working in radio program production, he started producing zines and writing for magazines. After that, he joined a publishing company as an editor and wrote a variety of articles, mainly for town information magazines. His hobbies are cooking, mountain climbing, river fishing, and Sapporo's stone monuments. He lives in Minami Ward, Sapporo, and loves the area.