Cabbage and frogs

I’m back early from a trip to the farm.  Yesterday, I helped weed a cabbage patch.  It was a great job, because I was given a sharp hoe and could stand most of the time.  I just reached under the cabbage and scraped the soil around the side, scything several weeds down.  There were some bugs in the weeds and a few leaves looked well-gnawed, but the cabbage had defenders as well:

There was another problem facing the cabbage.  I think it is called ‘clubroot‘:

The symptoms first noticed will be a decline of the plant including yellowing of leaves, and a tendency to wilt during hot days. Examination of the roots will reveal swollen, club-shaped roots instead of the normal fine network of roots.

The photos at the linked site above don’t really resemble what I saw.  At the farm, the roots were more spongy than they appear at the website.  Here are a few roots we broke off the plants:

This problem may be the answer to Robert Neff’s question, “Where’s the kimchi?

UPDATED SEVERAL DAYS LATER (OCT 6):  Man, I had no idea we were picking gold!  Damn that clubroot – it may have cost us millions!  Millions!

Recent new reports on cabbage prices:

Korea Herald

Korea Times

Dong-a Ilbo

English Chosun

Joongang Ilbo