Iwatsu Negi are shipped without cutting the leaves due to both the delicious blue-green leaves and the white stem portion. Therefore, we make maximum efforts to not damage the leaves from when Iwatsu Negi first sprout.

The first step is pulling up weeds. We gently pluck up weeds with tweezers as to not the damage leaves.

In summer, a young leaf which is about the size of a little finger grows large. Our nerve is used for preventing disease from heat and humidity, and not breaking leaves aren’t broken by typhoons. During this season, growers have the largest workload pulling up weeds.

The climax is when we start to cultivate from autumn to winter. The terribly cold weather in Asago brings out the flavor of the Iwatsu Negi. However, there are also a lot of risks involved in breaking leaves because it might get ruined. That is why producers take care of it like a baby.The most obvious example is the net for protection from snow. We protect the Iwatsu leek from snow by using the net even if it is barely snowing.

Thus, the safely grown Iwatsu Negi is carried out with unique shipping operations.

First we cut root. In order to ship Iwatsu Negi leeks in almost its present condition, we cut them manually one by one not to damage the stem of leeks.

Then we clean Iwatsu Negi leeks. Once we peel away the outer layers of the Iwatsu Negi, juicy and therefore fresh white and green appear even though Iwatsu Negi immediately after the harvest is covered with mud. At this time, we are careful about leaving glossy blue-green leaves and the white stem portion unharmed.

It is ideal to leave three blue-green leaves and we check the condition of these leaves when cleaning. We also have to confirm whether they are tillering or not. Tillering is the quality of the growth of shoots from bottom of the original white rootstock and green leaf. We need experience to identify tillering. The more the skillful producers are, the more quickly and accurately tillering is discovered.

Iwatsu Negi’s appearance remains almost the same as harvest-time and has a length of 80-100 cm. So This is longer than the usual leek. That is why we put Iwatsu Negi leeks in box with specially ordered sizes to preserve leaves as long as possible. By these steps Iwatsu Negi is first brought to your home.