October 7, 2024 エンジニアリングデザインⅡA(2年生)さつまいも「紅はるか」収穫
こんにちは!白山麓高専事務室の間加田 侑里です。今回はエンジニアリングデザインⅡA(2年生)の授業で行われた「紅はるか」の収穫について書きたいと思います。
2年生のエンジニアリングデザインⅡAの授業では、白山麓の中山間地域で直面している耕作放棄地や獣害の増加といった課題に取り組んでいます。学生たちは「アグリビジネス班」と「テック班」に分かれて活動しており、「アグリビジネス班」は校舎前の休耕田で「紅はるか」を栽培し、営業、販売、決算までのプロセスを通じて農業法人の経営ビジネスを体験しています。「テック班」は、AIやIoTを活用した獣害対策システムの開発に取り組んでいます。
2024年9月12日(木)、白山麓周辺の気温は30度を超える猛暑の中で、アグリビジネス班は紅はるかの収穫作業を行いました。この日、鹿田 正昭校長も参加しました。今年も畑への猿の侵入を防ぐための電気柵を設置したことで、獣害被害はありませんでした。また、例年に比べ、小さな芋がすくなく、今季は昨年度に比べて気候条件が合っていたと考えられます。しかし、この日は非常に暑く、約2時間で畑の3分の1ほどの紅はるかを収穫し、終了しました。
私もこの日、紅はるかの収穫に参加しましたが、紅はるかの株本のつる部分を刈り取る作業やマルチ撤去作業、その後の紅はるかの収穫は思った以上に大変で体力を使う上に、暑さとの戦いでもありました。学生たちも暑さで顔が真っ赤になりながらも、休憩を取りつつ水分をしっかり摂り、全力で自分たちの仕事に取り組んでいる姿に感心しました。
2024年9月17日(火)の夕方、この日は紅はるか収穫作業の後半戦が行われました。この日は前回の収穫時よりやや気温も下がり、曇り空で活動しやすい気候の中、3時間ほど収穫作業を行いました。他の課外活動と重なりメンバー全員が集まることはできなかったですが、テック班から手伝いに来てくれたメンバーもおり、残りの紅はるかの収穫も無事に終えることができました。全体的にとても良いサイズで形が整っているさつまいもが多く、去年と同じ株数を植えましたが、今年は去年の約1.7倍となる349kg収穫することができました。過去一の収穫量です!
収穫した紅はるかは、校舎内の倉庫で約1か月間、熟成させ、デンプンを糖分に変えた後、10月28日(月)に校舎前の「道の駅 瀬女」に生芋を出荷予定です。11月3日(日)4日(月)は、「道の駅 瀬女」にて学生たちが焼芋販売と高専紅はるかオリジナルグッズ販売を行います。↓
本校では11月3日(日)にオープンキャンパスを開催します。この日に参加される方はお時間があれば、ぜひ道の駅まで足を伸ばしてみてください。
オープンキャンパス詳細はこちら
間加田 侑里
October 7, 2024 2nd Year Engineering Design II A: Harvesting Beniharuka Sweet Potatoes
Hello, this is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. This time, I would like to write about the harvest of Beniharuka sweet potatoes by the Engineering Design IIA (2nd year) class.
In the 2nd year Engineering Design IIA class, students are tackling issues facing the mountainous regions in HAKUSANROKU (Foothills of Mt. Hakusan), such as abandoned farmland, and increasing animal damage. The students are divided into two groups, the Agribusiness Group and the Tech Group. The Agribusiness Group grows sweet potatoes called Beniharuka in a fallow field across from the school and experiences managing an agricultural business through the process of sales, marketing, and accounting. The Tech Team is working to develop an AI and IoT enabled animal damage prevention system.
On Thursday, September 12th, 2024, the Agribusiness Team worked on harvesting Beniharuka sweet potatoes in extremely hot weather with temperatures over 30 ℃ around HAKUSANROKU. President Masaaki Shikada also participated in the harvest. Also, this year, there was no animal damage because an electric fence was installed to prevent monkeys from entering the fields. Additionally, there were fewer small sweet potatoes than previous years, and it seemed that the climate conditions this season were more favorable than last year. However, it was extremely hot that day, and after harvesting about one-third of the Beniharuka sweet potatoes in about two hours, we finished for the day.
I also participated in the harvest of Beniharuka sweet potatoes on that day, and I found that cutting the vines at the base of the sweet potatoes, removing the mulch, and the actual harvest itself were much more physically demanding than I had expected. It was also a battle against the heat. The students with their faces flushed from the heat, took breaks, stayed hydrated, and diligently focused on their work. I was truly impressed by their dedication.
On the evening of Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, the rest of the Beniharuka sweet potato were harvested. Unlike the previous harvest day, the temperature was a bit cooler, and the cloudy weather made for a more comfortable working environment. Students spent about three hours harvesting the potatoes. Although not all Agribusiness Group members could attend due to other extracurricular activities, a few members from the Tech Team came to help, and we successfully finished harvesting the remaining Beniharuka sweet potatoes. Overall, many of the Beniharuka sweet potatoes were of excellent size and shape. Despite planting the same number of plants as last year, we harvested 349 kg this year, about 1.7 times more than last year—a record harvest!
The harvested Beniharuka sweet potatoes will be aged in the warehouse inside the school for about a month, allowing the starch to convert into sugars. They are scheduled to be shipped as raw sweet potatoes to Sena Roadside Station across from the school on Monday, October 28th. On Sunday, November 3rd and Monday, November 4th, the students will be selling baked sweet potatoes and original goods featuring the Kosen Beniharuka at Sena Roadside Station. Additionally, our school will hold an open campus on Sunday, November 3rd. If you are planning to attend on this day and have the time, we are looking forward to seeing you at Sena Roadside Station!
Click here for open campus details
Yuri Makada