With more people working together, they finished shelling all the corn in less than a day. After that, they packed it into burlap sacks and weighed it. The total amount was shocking, five hundred and fifty-two jin, equal to 1,200 jin per mu of land.
When Helper Beau reported this, Yaelle wasn't too surprised, but Michael was very excited. Both the watermelon and corn had exceeded expectations, so sweet potatoes and regular potatoes probably wouldn't be too far behind either. They were both happy and worried.
These crops would definitely have to be handed over. They couldn't keep them. The problem was who they had to hand them over to.
They were just commoners and might be killed before even seeing the emperor. Keeping the credit was one thing, but losing their lives was another. There weren't many crops planted this year, so it wouldn't attract attention.
But next year, it would have to be planted on a large scale. If they grew too much, they would have to sell it. Releasing a lot of new food at once would get noticed.
If they didn't sell it, it wouldn't circulate. Corn could be stored for a while, but sweet potatoes and regular potatoes couldn't be kept long, maybe six months at most. They could be processed into starch noodles, but that might work for one or two years.
Ten years, eight years? They couldn't hide it forever. That wasn't realistic. Besides, it would benefit the country and the people.
Yaelle thought of Maxim and said to Michael, "Brother, how about we talk to Brother Maxim about it?" The two were engaged, soon to be married. She wanted to get his opinion since his father was the assistant county magistrate.
The two families had been close for over ten years. They trusted his character. Their own business had gone smoothly in recent years thanks to his family's help.
Everyone in the city who paid attention already knew about the engagement. They hadn't tried to hide it. Anyone who wanted to mess with their family would have to think twice.
After all, the assistant county magistrate was second in command here. With the emperor far away, only the county magistrate and the assistant magistrate held power. Trying to sabotage them wouldn't be easy.
Take their mahjong and poker business, along with watermelon and cold drinks. Their two restaurants had become the most famous and busiest in the city. Were there people jealous? Yes.
But they didn't dare cause trouble in their shops because of that connection. Michael thought for a moment and said, "When will he be free? I'll send him a note and invite him over."
Yaelle thought about it. The last break had been during the Dragon Boat Festival, which was over a month ago. He might be off again in the next few days.
"Maybe he's about to get some time off. Why not send a note first and invite him once he's free?" "That works too." Michael wrote the note and had Zack deliver it to the assistant magistrate's house.
He handed it directly to Maxim's personal servant. "Peanuts and potatoes should be ready soon," Yaelle said. "Once they're harvested, I'll cook some for you to taste and help estimate the yield."
"Then we can discuss things." She figured this was the right time. Potatoes take around 80 to 120 days, and the variety she had bought was early maturing.
Peanuts also took around 90 to 120 days. It had been nearly 100 days already. Everything that was supposed to ripen should be ready now.
Harvesting potatoes is relatively simple. After the plants wither, the buds are removed to reduce nutrient loss and help the potatoes grow better. It is best to harvest on dry days to make storage easier.
Use tools like an iron hoe or shovel to loosen the soil around the plants, then dig toward the base to pull out the potatoes. Shake off extra dirt and stems to keep the clean ones. For large harvests, cut off the stems first and use a plow to turn the soil, lifting the tubers out for hand collection or alternating row collection.
But she only planted about twenty, so careful digging was enough. Still, the method had to be learned because she would plant more next year.
After harvesting, the potatoes should be dried to reduce moisture and improve their quality for storage. Then store them in a ventilated, dry, and cool place away from sunlight and humidity.
During storage, check the potatoes regularly. Remove any that are rotting or sprouting to protect the rest.
Overall, the harvest was decent. These potatoes weighed over eighty jin, with each plant producing more than three jin on average. That was because she spaced them well and used enough fertilizer.
Harvesting Jerusalem artichokes was about the same. Yaelle told Helper Beau and the others to loosen the soil with hoes or shovels, then pull out the plants. After that, they laid the Jerusalem artichokes neatly in rows on the ground.
Once pulled, they needed to be left in the field for a few days to dry before picking. Or they could be picked first and dried on cloth mats.
This year, she did not prepare any cloth and did not have a modern cement floor to dry them. So she chose to dry them directly on the plant before picking.
Luckily, the weather had been good. The older folks in the manor said the next few days would also be sunny. That was perfect for drying the Jerusalem artichokes.
Since she didn't plant much, both crops were harvested before the end of the day. Yaelle brought a little of the fresh potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes to the kitchen to cook for her brother.
She could eat and give instructions, but her cooking was a disaster. She directed the kitchen to make pork ribs stewed with potatoes.
The method was simple, but the details mattered. First, the pork ribs were washed and blanched, then boiled with water and wine. There was no cooking wine, so they used white liquor.
After blanching again, the ribs became more tender. The potatoes were peeled and chopped, and the ginger was sliced.
In the pot, she added oil, a type of pepper used since the Tang Dynasty for food and medicine, and spicy chili from the village. Ginger slices and garlic were stir-fried until fragrant, then the ribs were added and stir-fried.
Salt, soybean paste, wine, and sugar were added and mixed evenly. Then enough water was poured in, brought to a boil, and simmered over low heat.
Once the broth thickened, the potatoes were added and cooked through.
She also made spicy shredded potatoes and the simplest steamed potatoes. Those were just washed and steamed directly on top of the rice.
Since the Jerusalem artichokes were not dried, she could not make the crispy version. She made salted braised Jerusalem artichokes, a stew with pork knuckle, and threw a few potatoes into the stove after the cooking was done.
By dinner, when Michael arrived and saw the table full of fresh dishes, he looked curious and eager to try them.
"Go ahead and eat. It's safe. The kitchen staff already tasted everything," Yaelle said, laughing at how he looked hungry but hesitant.
Michael finally picked up a piece of stewed potato and ate it. The potato was soft and sticky, soaked in broth, full of meat flavor, and delicate in texture.
It melted in his mouth. The ribs were tender and juicy, with a rich taste that lingered. The aroma was strong.
The ribs and potatoes blended perfectly. Each bite showed the softness of the potatoes and the tenderness of the meat.
The textures combined well and gave both his heart and taste buds joy.