Amazing Yams

Day 4 January 15th

Yes, I know they are officially sweet potatoes, but surely they must be a type of yam. I always refer to them as yams, so I might as well continue in print, if for no other reason than it is shorter. Anyway, whatever they are called they are amazing. I started these by planting pieces of yams from the fruit shop.  Pretty soon I had a box full of leaves and shoots- quite impressive. I think visitors were impressed, or maybe they were just polite. My garden looked really productive, but it was several months before anything substantial grew beneath the soil.  I still don't know the best way to find where an adequately matured tuber will be found. I just poke around with a trowel until I hit something that feels substantial; then I lever it a little and the yam seems to rise from the soil. It feels magical, especially when I'm not expecting to find anything. Because finding the yams is so hit and miss, occasionally one will be left for a long time and can grow huge before it is discovered. I thought that the giant I found yesterday might have been beyond eating. But not so; it was perfect.