People often ask me:

“Why are your sweet potatoes getting sweeter every year?”

Most people think the answer is fertilizer.

In my experience, fertilizer is only part of the story.

The real answer lies beneath our feet — in the soil.

Ten years ago, sweet potatoes from this field did not taste the same as they do today.

Back then, I cared mostly about yield. Like many farmers, I always wondered how many more kilograms I could harvest from each field.

But over time, I noticed something.

The harvest was larger, but the flavor was not always better.

Some potatoes were sweet. Others were not.

Some looked beautiful on the outside but lacked aroma inside.

Gradually, I realized that soil can become tired, just like people.

If we keep taking from the land without giving back, its strength slowly fades.

So we began adding more organic matter.

We returned crop residues to the field.

We paid attention to soil structure.

We watched for earthworms and signs of life underground.

These changes did not happen in one year.

Sometimes they were difficult to notice even after three years.

But after five years, the soil was clearly different.

Rainwater now seeps into the ground more easily.

Roots grow deeper and stronger.

The sweet potatoes develop more evenly and store better after harvest.

Many people believe sweetness comes only from the variety.

I believe the variety is only the beginning.

The soil ultimately shapes the flavor.

The soil never speaks, but it writes its answer into every sweet potato it grows.