[No. 199] Before the Sprouting, Preparing—The New Year, Seeds, and Preparations for the 200th Edition 🌱🌾
2026 has begun.
The field is still quiet, with no noticeable changes.
However, there is work that can only be done at this time of year.
That is to prepare the seeds for the coming season.
The 199th edition is a preparatory installment before reaching the 200th.
I want to leave this as a record for the New Year and for future growth.
📖 Articles themed around the field are compiled in a magazine.
Please take a look if you'd like👇
👉 Tilling, Living—Renji Enko's Field Records
Butternut Squash—Passing the Harvest On 🎃🌱
Last year's butternut squash gave me a bigger harvest than I expected.
I am struck by the memory of how it continued to bear fruit even after autumn deepened.
I have recorded that experience in a previous article.
👉 [No. 143] Bearing Fruit Once More—The Late Autumn Harvest Shown by the Butternut Squash 🌾🎶
Dead grass has increased, supporting the fruit like a soft "pillow."
It stored plenty of nutrients absorbed during the summer and was quietly heading toward the autumn harvest.
What I have kept on hand this time are the seeds taken from that fruit.
Not to be viewed as an achievement,
but kept as preparation to return them to the field for what comes next.
I may not use them right away.
But by being prepared,
the time in the field continues forward without interruption.
Jew's Mallow—Keeping Summer in Memory 🌿☀️
Jew's mallow is a crop that symbolizes summer.
Even in the harsh heat, it continues to spread its leaves calmly.
I have recorded the atmosphere of that season in this article.
👉 [No. 99] Still Hot, Remnants of the Field—Not Wanting to Forget Summer ☀️🌱
Now it is winter.
The scenery, the air, and the expression of the field are completely different.
Even so, the time in the field is connected by a single thread.
The seeds of the Jew's mallow are also
meant to be kept for the coming season.
Notes and Classification Regarding Seeds 🚫🌰
These are not preserved food.
They are not meant for consumption.
The butternut and Jew's mallow seeds handled here are not edible.
This is not a harvest, but entirely for the purpose of connecting to the next season.
As is generally known,
while the leaves of the Jew's mallow are edible,
the seeds and pods are considered unsuitable for consumption.
Risks such as physical illness have been pointed out,
and they should not be used for food.
Furthermore, regarding the butternut,
the seeds here were harvested by me,
and are not intended for consumption.
Depending on storage conditions, management methods, and individual variations,
it cannot be guaranteed that they are safe to eat.
These seeds are
strictly for the purpose of seed collection and sowing,
and are not intended for use as food.
Please handle and make decisions entirely at your own risk.
Reason for Leaving This as the 199th Edition 🧭📘
The 199th edition is not about flashy results.
However, it is a step toward moving forward.
The New Year.
Before reaching the 200th edition, I am setting my foundation.
Even if there are no visible changes,
preparations are proceeding quietly.
Field work always continues with an eye on the season just ahead.
Caution 🛠️
🌱 This article is based solely on personal experience and impressions.
📍 Appropriate methods vary depending on the region and environment.
⚠️ Please take full responsibility for determining and using the edible and non-edible parts of crops.
🚫 In particular, some seeds and pods are not suitable for consumption.
✅ Please make all judgments and implementations at your own risk.
Underlying × Cultivation
Fields, bodies, and investments—a way of life that keeps on tilling.
Renji Enko