When Yoshiko planted cotton seeds this spring, I was amused. When the stalks shot up out of the planter under her care, I was suprised. When cotton flowers bloomed, I was delighted. When bolls appeared, I was incredulous. When the bolls began breaking open this week to reveal their bounty, I must say I was amazed. Cotton grows in Kyoto pretty well, and isn’t perturbed by typhoons. Umm, anybody know where we can get a very small burlap sack?
The best of Tenessee Ernie Ford on Rhino Records is an excellent album, by the way
HEY, MR. COTTONPICKER
TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD (Capitol, 1953)
Yonder comes a cotton picker walkin’ down the road
Puffin’ like a locomotive carryin’ a load
Hey, mr. cotton picker watcha’ gonna do
Gonna get gone away from you
Here is mr. cotton picker passin’ by my shack
Seems as if his back is breakin’ with a cotton sack
Hey, mr. cotton picker when you gettin’ paid?
Reckon as soon as my sack gets weighed
He’s been a-pluckin’ old king cotton
All day in the sun
By tomorrow sweat’s forgotten
I’ve got another field that must be done
There goes mr. cotton picker totin’ all his pay
Just a sack of snowy cotton took him all the day
Hey, mr. cotton picker hope you have a ball
Hope you get all that’s comin’ to you
0 comments
Rahvin says:
Oct 16, 2003
where would one get cotton seeds?
ang says:
Oct 16, 2003
Another good cotton song: Johnny Cash’s “I Never Picked Cotton.”
Love your site, Nils. Never been to Japan but I like getting a peek here.
nils says:
Oct 16, 2003
They were just handing them out in packs at Muji, and handed one to Yoshiko. The opened bolls are bigger and fluffier today, and there are two still unopened bolls.
Anyone with experience know when we should pick them?
ingrid says:
Oct 18, 2003
Your posts are always very interesting, thanks. Google says farmers harvest cotton in the fall.
Mary says:
Nov 6, 2003
Yoroshiku – I grew up in Japan and now am growing cotton in America. Yes, fall is harvest time. Home-grown cotton should be picked when each boll is dry. It’s a sugar, and will rot if stored before it is dry. Just look each day and see which bolls are open, fluffy, and relatively dry. Farmers use chemicals to harvest all at once.
Enjoy!
nils says:
Nov 6, 2003
Thanks for the info, Mary. I knew that fall was harvest time, after all, Yoshiko’s cotton bolls opened up. I just wanted to know when is the exact moment to pick them. Your advice helps, as the open ones have fluffed up. Two more bolls haven’t opened after 3 weeks. Do you think they will open at all? Can they be coaxed to open?
Where are you living by the way? I’m from California, I know they grow cotton up in the central valley, in addition to the famous areas down south.
Again, big thanks for your expertise.