The author is a garden designer and the CEO of OhGardens.
Next to my husband's woodworking studio, our neighbor tends a small plot of land where a new building has yet to rise. He grows peppers and sweet potatoes and often shares his harvest with us. When I once asked if he truly enjoyed farming, his answer was simple and bright: "It's so much fun. This is what I live for." Each day he works his field, while my husband crafts with wood beside him.

Perhaps inspired by the neighbor's dedication, my husband suggested we try our own small vegetable garden this year. We planted peppers, cucumbers, Korean perilla and lettuce. As summer faded, he brought home young cabbage plants and carefully set them in the soil. From time to time, I noticed him learning from our neighbor. When he heard that slugs must be caught before dawn, he began stepping out of the house before sunrise. The cabbages grew well, and yesterday we harvested two heads. After washing them, we made fresh kimchi and used the leaves for wraps. The texture was rougher than store-bought, but the nutty flavor was so deep that it surprised us both.
That taste brought back memories of my seven years in Britain, where I studied horticulture. For students abroad, kimchi was a treasure. Back then, I only needed a mix of cabbage, fish sauce and chili powder to feel at home. Cabbage, often called a "white vegetable" for its pale leaves, originated in regions of China and southern Siberia, which explains its preference for cold weather. Because it is planted at the end of summer and harvested in autumn, it naturally became the foundation for Korea's traditional kimchi-making season.
The tightly wrapped cabbage we eat today began to be cultivated widely in the 19th century. As it grew tastier and juicier, it also attracted more insects. Some rely on pesticides, but the best way remains the most time-intensive one - checking every day and picking pests off by hand. To enjoy good cabbage, one must invest care and time.
Recent climate irregularities have reportedly cut cabbage yields sharply in recent years. I can only hope that future generations, too, will be able to experience the simple happiness of growing and savoring a single head of cabbage.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

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