[No. 339] A Morning Digging for Spring PotatoesโSeasonal Gifts Found in the Soil ๐ฅ๐ฑ
When you continue to farm, you find new discoveries even in tasks that seem the same every year.
This time, it is the harvest of spring potatoes.
Since this is the 339th installment, I thought of 3ร3=9.
Three potatoes from one plant, nine from three plantsโit might be a bit of a forced pun, but thinking about things like that on harvest day is one of the joys of farming.
In reality, I harvested more than that, but watching the potatoes peek out from the soil became a moment to feel the changing of the seasons.
๐ Articles themed around the field are compiled in a magazine.
Please take a look at this as well if you like๐
๐ Tilling, LivingโRenji Enko's Field Records
Potatoes harvested in winter too ๐ฅโ๏ธ
This is not the first time for potatoes.
I also harvested them in winter before.
๐ [No. 179] A Signal from the Winter FieldโA Morning of Potato Harvesting ๐ฅโ๏ธ
Compared to these spring potatoes, my personal impression was that the yield was better this time.
Of course, a simple comparison is impossible because various conditions such as weather, soil state, and planting time have an impact.
Even so, seeing the potatoes lined up in the bag makes me smile naturally.
A field has value not just in the harvest amount, but in the process of growing itself.
They grow little by little in the soil and appear as a result the moment you dig them up.
I feel that the time spent doing that is also part of the charm of the field.
Differences between spring potatoes and winter potatoes ๐ธ๐ฅ
Generally, spring potatoes grow from winter to spring and are said to grow in relatively stable environments.
On the other hand, winter potatoes are easily affected by temperature and sunlight, and cultivation conditions vary greatly depending on the region.
What I felt while digging this time was that growth inside the soil is invisible.
Even if the leaves are healthy, you don't know the harvest yield until you dig them up.
Conversely, sometimes they grow more than they look.
This feeling is a bit similar to investing or strength training.
Even if the daily changes are small, they make a big difference when you look back.
It made me feel that way all over again.
A star even in simple dishes ๐ฅ๐ฝ๏ธ
The charm of potatoes lies in the breadth of cooking methods.
They are delicious even just boiled.
From the field to the tableโa time to enjoy the true taste of spring potatoes.
They are good as buttered potatoes.
They are good as flour-dusted potatoes.
They are good deep-fried.
They have a presence even when added to simmered dishes.
Of course, potato salad is also a classic.
When you taste what you harvested from the field on the same day, it feels even more delicious than usual.
Perhaps the experience of growing them yourself makes the dining table a little more special.
Potatoes viewed as carbohydrates ๐ช๐ฅ
When you continue strength training or running, you have more opportunities to think about carbohydrates.
While potatoes are a carbohydrate-rich food, they also have a high water content, so when compared by calorie count, you actually end up eating a surprisingly large amount.
If you were to eat potatoes instead of white rice as a staple food, some people might feel that the amount they have to eat is larger than they expected to reach the same calorie intake.
The GI value is generally considered to be higher than that of sweet potatoes, but in reality, the cooking method, portion size, and combinations with other ingredients also have an impact.
It is also known that chilled potatoes contain an increased amount of resistant starch, which is a type of indigestible starch.
It is important not to judge based on numbers alone, but also to consider how you eat them.
I don't think they are an ingredient to be avoided just because you are losing weight; depending on how you eat them, they can be a very useful food.
The sense of accomplishment found in the soil ๐ฑโจ
Looking only at the harvest volume this time, it is not on the scale of a professional farmer.
Even so, I planted them myself, grew them myself, and harvested them myself.
That entire process has value beyond any number.
Farming is a hobby where you can enjoy not just the results, but the process as well.
Touching the soil, feeling the seasons, and tasting what you have harvested.
I think it is because of that cycle that I am able to keep going.
Even if they vary in size, each one is a precious gift from the field.
These spring potatoes are another gift from the field.
What kind of harvest awaits next?
Thinking about that, I want to head back to the field again.
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 always ensure safety when performing these tasks.
โ
Please make your own decisions and take responsibility for your actions.
Tsuutei ร Tilling
Fields, bodies, and investmentsโa way of life that keeps on tilling.
Renji Enko