So I visited the cocoyam farm today, and what I saw truly filled my heart with joy. It felt like a beautiful surprise, especially because the last time I visited, I left feeling disappointed and unsure.
Back then, the farm didn’t look healthy at all. The cocoyam leaves were turning yellow, many looked wilted, and the stems were weak. I later found out it was likely due to the lack of rain at the time, the soil was too dry, and cocoyam, being a crop that loves moisture, wasn’t getting the water it needed to thrive. That sight really discouraged me. It felt like all the efforts that had been put into the farm might go to waste, and that made me reluctant to even check on it again.
But today was different. I was on my way to visit a friend, and her house happens to be directly opposite the farm, though not too close, At first, I didn’t even plan to branch, I was just going to walk past it, like I’d done many times before. But something in me told me to take a look. Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe it was just time to face it. So I walked towards the farm, unsure of what I’d see, and to my surprise, it looked like a completely different place. The cocoyam had grown healthy, much more than before. The leaves were green and wide, standing proud like they had something to prove. The stems looked stronger, and the entire farm had a vibrant feel to it.
Cocoyam is one of those crops that may not always get the attention it deserves, but it’s so valuable, both as food and in what it teaches you about patience. It grows quietly, under the earth, taking its time. You don’t always see the progress immediately, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. Seeing how far the farm has come reminded me of how nature works at its own pace, not ours. It also reminded me that some things just take time, you plant, you water, you wait and then one day, the results come, quietly but beautifully.
Seeing growth like this on a farm, especially after a time of disappointment, reminds you how much patience and time nature requires. The earth has its way of bouncing back when the right conditions return. Maybe it rained more recently, or the soil regained its strength, but whatever the reason, the farm looked alive again.
That one stop at the farm gave me a kind of joy that’s hard to explain. I didn’t even plan it, but it made my day.