Niigata has had its first snowfall, and winter is about to arrive in earnest. In Niigata Prefecture, where snow accumulates, fields are closed for the winter. It is common practice to clear the fields before the snow covers the ground until it melts, known as 'root snow'.

I also farm as a hobby, and on my day off I took my 18-month-old son to clear the crops. We pull out radishes and carrots, leaving onions, garlic, broad beans and mustard greens to overwinter. While I work, my son grabs and throws dirt with his bare hands and digs up piles of rotting grass. Then he would fall down, occasionally get dirt in his mouth, fuss and fuss, and in no time he was covered in mud.

Bacchae!" you might think, but one theory says that the increase in allergies is due to over-cleanliness and an over-reactive immune system. So I think it's important for children to play in the dirt and get dirty as much as possible.

In a normal life, it seems that children aged 0-2 years do not have many opportunities to get covered in soil. However, in Niigata City, in addition to its well-developed urban functions, there is a lot of farmland close by, and in fact, you can easily rent a field. It is a very easy place to live for those who want to provide their children with opportunities to come into contact with the soil!