It's been full on this month, as June always is. At the beginning of the month, we planted both 30a of our regular Kinumusume rice and, for the first time, 15a of Himenomochi.
Himenomochi is a more glutinous variety of rice, used mainly in the making of mochi. In our case, however, we'll be using this in our Amazake. It's one of the differences that makes our sweet fermented rice drink so delicious.
Once the rice was in, we could get back to harvesting Sora mame (similar to broad or fava beans). They were near their end so having harvested the last of them, it was time to clean up the beds. We've left a couple of rows so that we have seed for next winter.
Our next mission was to see a man about a bottle of fizz. We drove down to the bottom of the prefecture and met up with one Mr. Ishihara. His company has been making soda since 1910 and after several phone calls and a long chat at his factory, he agreed to help us produce what I know some of you have been eagerly anticipating for a while now. Yes, the famous Elderflower Fizz! It was a long search with many near misses, but we're delighted that we've finally settled on the most exquisite recipe for the syrup that will be the base for our very, very English summer drink. Kocomo's Elderflower Fizz. Available as soon as we've decided on the label! It's enough to make you homesick!
We then turned our attention back to the farm, that never-ending source of items on our "To do" list. Weeding the rice paddies is probably my least enjoyable job each year. They need weeding a week to 10 days after planting, again a week later, and if I'm really good, one final time a week later. After that, the rice is too big to pass the weeder over and it's causing enough shade to suppress the worst of the weeds itself. Why do I dislike this job so much? Well, the main reason is that it has to be done smack bang in the middle of the rainy season when the humidity is extreme and the temperatures are soaring (even at 5 am!). Another reason is the sheer effort of walking up and down the paddie, up to your calves in mud, maybe 60~80 times pushing the weeder while trying not to lose your balance... still, it has to be done so get done it does!
Now, I'm just making an assumption here but I guess our potatoes were really tasty this year. Why an assumption? Well, we never got to see them, you see. The flowers withered and the stalks started to dry out signaling the perfect time to harvest as usual. "Potatoes tomorrow!" said Kazumi cheerfully. But the local boar had the same idea. One night and they cleaned us out. There was probably 50kg in that patch!
Finally, sweet potatoes. Every year we get advance orders for our sweet potatoes. They're that good! We plant three varieties, Beni Haruka, Anno, and Purple Sweet.
Beni Haruka are a reliable variety, good for all sorts of savory dishes and not half bad just simply baked. Everyone knows this potato. Purple Sweet are popular with chefs and bakers or anyone looking to make a deep purple desert. If you're mostly interested in baked potatoes though, I have to recommend Anno Imo. We mature all our potatoes in a repurposed mine not far from here which is why our potatoes go on sale later than most. It's also why they taste so good! Storing them at a constant 15C and with stable humidity, the potatoes become sweeter and sweeter with time. Come early in the new year and they are at their peak. Excuse me for blowing my own trumpet, but you'd be pushed to find better sweet potatoes than ours!
Before the month is out, we'll be embarking on yet another Kocomo adventure. This time, Peanut Butter! We've grown peanuts in the past, but nothing like the quantities we're planting this year. Hopefully, the electric fence will deter the boar who are notoriously happy to munch on peanuts, and we'll have loads of peanuts this autumn. If we do, then operation Peanut Butter will be on! Stay tuned!
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