Myoga
A research journey into a Japanese Ginger Heritage Crop
It started with an elder sharing a favorite delicacy from their garden.
Questions ensued about this unique crop that led to uncovering the unknown landscape of myoga’s presence in Sonoma County farms and plates.
In 2025, Yagi Sisters Farm was awarded a Western Sustinable Agriculture Research & Education “Farmer/Rancher Grant” to assess myoga as a viable specialty crop to grow and sell in Sonoma County.
This research project sought to dive in deeper and ask:
What are optimal growing conditions for myoga to thrive?
Is there enough local demand for Asian specialty crops like myoga?
What strategies are there to ensure success in the market?
Read the executive summary below:
“It’s unique, you can get top dollar. Everyone wants to be the first out there and have the most desirable thing to offer.”
“There could be a nice market. The majority of people we expose to seem to really like them. Sonoma County is a unique place that has different values and people here are willing to enjoy more specialty things. I see a lot of possibility for myoga if it was more available and subsequently for people to learn how to use it.”
“My produce is better enjoyed and feels better to me when given back to community, they actually cook heritage meals with them and share with generations of family, and it’s meaningful to them.”
"This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2023-38640-39571 through the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number FW25-019. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”
