The Field Appreciation Society: The Origin of 'Eggplant' and a Surprising Story About Peanuts

Let's go pick some cherry tomatoes

My daughter doesn't eat regular tomatoes, but she loves cherry tomatoes.

Since we finished them all, we decided to go pick some more.

When we stepped outside, it was still hot even though it was evening.

(It looks like it's going to be a 'hot' one again this year...)

I happened to glance at the field and...

Even in the sweltering heat, I saw Grandma and Grandpa.

It seems the heat doesn't stop them from working in the field.

(They're quite old, but they really keep at it.)

Grandma says,
'It's so hot, it's tough.'

But,
seeing her sit on the ridge of the field, munching on a freshly picked tomato while she complains,

it's clear that she's actually finding joy and happiness in it.

(I suppose the field must be one of her life's works.)

Thinking that,
I am once again just admiring the field with a camera in hand, without really helping at all.

Admiring the field with a camera in hand.

(I'm a terrible wife.)

Corn. I love you♡

[Title: Pumpkin Floating in Mid-Air] 2020, created by Grandpa

Even the drainage ditch is a field for him.

He set up a net, and sitting on top of it is a 'pumpkin'.

I think this kind of ingenuity is just like Grandpa.

[Title: Princess of the Field] 2020, created by Grandpa

The butternut squash is sleeping in its own special bed.

Its appearance is just like a princess.

Somehow, a lovely flower was blooming.

It seems to be a potato-family plant called Apios.

Appreciating flowers together is also a real pleasure of the field.
Everything starts to look cute.

(No matter how cute they are, I don't end up helping anyway)

[Title of Work: Ghost Zucchini] 2020, made by Grandma

40 centimeters long
15 centimeters in diameter

Vegetables have such dormant life force that they can grow this big.

At this point, it's not for eating, but for display.

It seems the tomatoes suffered from root rot due to this year's prolonged rain.

They had started to wither.

Even so,
the red fruits of life, packed with the blessings of the sun, looked radiant.

On the other hand, there are vegetables that actually thrived because of the long rain.

That would be the 'taro'.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but the height is a staggering 2 meters.

It was far taller than my own height.

Vegetables that thrive with more water, and
vegetables that weaken when there is too much water,

vegetables have 'personalities' that cannot be lumped together.

And there were [eggs] in the field.

A cute, pure white, perfectly round form.

The English word for eggplant is 'Eggplant'.

The 'white eggplant' that gave it its name was right here.

These white and yellow eggplants are apparently used for the 'Oshore-sama' offerings during Obon in this region.
It's true, every year during Obon, various things are offered at the Buddhist altar at Grandma's house.

I think I'll take a closer look this Obon.
And the thing that surprised me the most this time was the peanuts.

Oh, they've grown quite a bit, I thought with admiration.Then Grandpa said, 'The vines have finally started to spread.'

And the thing that surprised me the most this time was the peanuts.

Oh, they've grown quite a bit, I thought with admiration.

'The vines have finally started to spread,' Grandpa said.

"A vine?"

I take a look.

Something like a single tube extending from the stem.

This is it.

For peanuts,
1. A "vine" grows down toward the ground.

2. It pierces the ground.

3. It bears fruit underground.

And that is how peanuts are made.

What on earth?

That is too interesting.

It doesn't bear fruit on the roots.

It extends its own vines and bears fruit.

I have never heard of a vegetable that buries itself into the ground.

They say the harvest will be around October.

I have one more thing to look forward to.

Peanuts

May I fall in love with you?

[Today's Harvest]

Dinner was all about vegetables.

The end

Health Food Appraiser Kireido

I appraise ingredients that are right for you