[No. 396] Time spent growing in the soilโThe invisible growth that mountain yams teach us ๐ฟ๐
Summer vegetables change their appearance almost every day.
Tomatoes ripen, cucumbers grow larger, and okra bears fruit one after another.
There are many visible changes, and every time I go to the field, there is a new discovery.
On the other hand, mountain yams are a little different.
What you see above ground are the vines climbing the stakes and the lush green leaves.
The real growth is happening inside the soil.
Their form remains hidden until the day they are dug up.
That is precisely why I feel that mountain yams are vegetables that teach us about "invisible growth."
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๐ Tilling, LivingโRenji Enko's Field Records
2025 Mountain Yams ๐ฑ๐ค
Last year, I dug up the mountain yams in winter.
The mountain yam that appeared from the soil made me realize how much time it had spent growing.
This year, that continuation has begun again.
๐ The article for the 2025 mountain yams is here. Please take a look at it as well if you like ๐
A moment where I feel the cycle of nature.
I'm sorry, and I will eat you with gratitude.
The refreshing texture of the mountain yam and the savory aroma of the seaweed went so well together that I couldn't stop eating.
2026 Mountain Yams ๐ฟ๐
The mountain yams are growing well again this year.
They are stretching their vines toward the stakes, spreading leaf after leaf, and growing under the summer sun.
Looking only at what is above ground, it feels as though there is no major change.
Time spent out of sight is also a vital part of growth.
However, the most important thing during this period is what happens underground.
They convert the light received above ground into nutrients, gradually storing that energy in the mountain yams below.
Even in places we cannot see, growth is certainly continuing.
Believing precisely because it is invisible ๐ฑ๐
We cannot see the mountain yams until the day we dig them up.
"I wonder how much they have grown."
Even if I think that, I cannot dig them up halfway through.
So, I wait.
I wait, believing that even if it is invisible to the eye, they are growing little by little underground.
This feeling is somewhat similar to muscle training or investing.
Even if you don't see changes immediately, the time you spent continuing is never wasted.
The accumulation of things unseen will eventually manifest into a tangible form.
Looking forward to winter โ๏ธ๐
The harvest is still a way off.
That is precisely why the anticipation continues.
Summer is the season when leaves and vines grow vigorously.
All the while, deep underground, the mountain yam continues to quietly store nutrients.
And when winter arrives, the day comes to dig up the fruits of that growth.
Because mountain yams grow across the seasons, they make us feel the flow of the year more deeply.
I wonder what kind of mountain yams have grown this year.
I am already looking forward to the day I dig into the soil this winter.
Caution ๐ ๏ธ
๐ฑ This article is based solely on personal experience and impressions.
๐ Appropriate methods vary depending on the region and environment.
โ ๏ธ Please ensure safety when performing these activities.
โ
Please make your own judgments and take responsibility for your actions.
Deep Tilling ร Cultivation
Fields, bodies, and investmentsโa way of life that keeps on tilling.
Renji Enko