Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
Melvina Francis and her 142-pound Mossella yam. - CONTRIBUTED
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
IT WAS no small miracle when 55-year-old Melvina Francis went to her field in Bendon district in St. Catherine, and found a monstrous Mossella yam weighing a mammoth 142 pounds.
The small farmer told Farmers Weekly how pleasantly surprised she was to find such a big yam.
"Bwoy mi did a go outta road and when mi cum back mi si dem over deh a tek a pick axe and a dig roun di yam. De more dem dig, a bigga di ole get an mi start fi shout 'it big, it big'!"
The elated farmer said several residents and family members expressed surprise and joy at the size of the tuber, which took three men to lift from the hole. When Farmers Weekly visited the residence of Ms. Francis, she was beeming with pride.
"Mi really proud a di yam man, and fi know seh mi haffi buy water fi $80 a drum," she said. "It is a real blessing to mi, mi only want more rain fall now so mi can do more farming."
