駄農園は現在の園主貞夫で3代目になります。初代園主吾郎が今の地に分家してから約70年、お茶の栽培と製造をおこなってきました。
その当時牧之原台地で生産されていたお茶は、静岡県内の有名な茶産地に比べると粗悪なイメージが強く、初代吾郎はそれを何とかして改善し牧之原の気候風土に合ったお茶を作ろうと様々な製法を試しました。また、最大54種類もの品種を栽培するなど牧之原の土壌に合った品種を探そうと研究を重ねました。
小さな農家であるにもかかわらず、経営を顧みず研究に没頭したため、友人に「お前は駄農だな」と言われたことから、以降自ら「駄農園」を名乗るようになったのだそうです。初代のお茶に対する熱い想いに敬意と感謝を込めて、私たちも「駄農園」と名乗っています。

Danouen is currently run by its third owner, Sadao Takatsuka. It has been about 70 years since the first owner, Goro Takatsuka, established a new family business in Makinohara, Shizuoka, where he started the tea cultivation and production.
At that time, teas grown in Makinohara were considered inferior when compared to the tea made in other famous tea fields in Shizuoka. Goro attempted the improvement of the quality of the tea by trying out various producing methods, seeking one that is suitable for the land and climate of the Makinohara region. He continued his research for years, cultivating up to 54 tea varieties to find the ones that are most adapted to the land.
Despite the small scale of the farm, he devoted himself to the research, regardless of business management. Because of this, a friend of his said to him, “You are a ‘Danou’” (lit. a no-good farmer). Since then, Goro has called his farm “Danouen” (lit. no-good farm). Now we also call our farm Danouen to show respect and gratitude towards the first owner’s passion for tea.