Safflower farmers picking flowers in early morning (in Yamagata-shi)
【News】Bright red, orange and yellow safflowers in morning haze
(July 7, 2016)
The busiest season for safflower farmers has begun in Takase area,Yamagata-shi. Yamagata Prefecture. The farmers pick the flowers in early morning when the thorns surrounding the flowers and the leaves are softened by the morning dew. This way, they don’t get the thorns in their fingers.
The flowers are used to produce dye, and the picking season goes through until mid-July. There are safflower fields of approximately 4 hectares in total in Yamagata-shi, according to Agricultural Cooperative (JA) Yamagata.