The First Batch

 I have dug out the 1st batch of potatoes. From two plants. Small and big, mostly less than medium sized. I have not used fertilizer at all. Despite of modest size, they still satisfied me. It was exciting to see them rolling out from the ground. Ten or even twenty times of this amount may follow.

News told that the cost of fertilizers is has risen up to 190% recently. The highest cost ever. It is due to the Ukrainian war and the decline of Japanese Yen. 

In addition, the working population of agriculture has fallen by 25% for the past 5 years. It might drop rapidly since the most of the farmers are older than 65 years of age. 

It is the crisis of food self sufficiency, the rate being only 38% at present, in our country. Politics, either of ruling party or of the biggest opposition party, is too optimistic for the crisis. They are concerned about military expansion confronted with the war in Ukraine. 

My duty is to avoid starvation for the family. I will be hustling planting vegetables for fall.