It is a bright December morning, chilly but without frost. We headed out to the bamboo grove with the dog.
This was the land that my father-in-law purchased on a tip that the new expressway was going to be built here and he had hoped to make a profit when they offered to buy back the land. However, during construction, they discovered ancient ruins and moved the expressway 100 meters away from the original plan - so we have the land and the noise of the cars - and bamboo.
The land is on a large hillside so it is actually about 1.5 acres in three tiers. 
Once you enter the thicket, the sunlight is blocked so it is always twilight; until twilight, then it is pitch black. We maintain the grove so we can have an ongoing supply of bamboo for various needs and to harvest the shoots in late winter. Bamboo shoots - the kind you usually buy in a can or sealed pouch - fetch a good price so we cull the bamboo and fertilize the ground with Nitrogen (9.2-0-0) to ensure a good crop.
Once you enter the thicket, the sunlight is blocked so it is always twilight; until twilight, then it is pitch black. We maintain the grove so we can have an ongoing supply of bamboo for various needs and to harvest the shoots in late winter. Bamboo shoots - the kind you usually buy in a can or sealed pouch - fetch a good price so we cull the bamboo and fertilize the ground with Nitrogen (9.2-0-0) to ensure a good crop.When you enter the thicket, it is like walking on a lumpy mattress. The ground is soft loam from years of bamboo leaves falling to form a spongy layer. It's 
lumpy because bamboo spreads by lateral roots that form a gnarly network underfoot. You can't shuffle your feet here or you'd fall flat on your face - you have to high step a bit. Because of the shade, there aren't many weeds so our work is focused on removing dead growth and cutting any trees that are crowded. Most of these grow over 30 feet tall, so they are cumbersome but at least they are easy to cut, being mostly hollow. We burn on the lowest tier. It makes a great bonfire and the remaining coals make for a perfect barbecue (something we didn't plan on today). As the bamboo burns, the water trapped between the sections of the stem heats up and then bursts the bamboo in great explosions. It sounds like gunfire, fireworks or small cannons (depending on the size of the trunk). Those explosions can shoot sparks, steam and shards of bamboo as well, so if you have to burn the stuff - stand back!
lumpy because bamboo spreads by lateral roots that form a gnarly network underfoot. You can't shuffle your feet here or you'd fall flat on your face - you have to high step a bit. Because of the shade, there aren't many weeds so our work is focused on removing dead growth and cutting any trees that are crowded. Most of these grow over 30 feet tall, so they are cumbersome but at least they are easy to cut, being mostly hollow. We burn on the lowest tier. It makes a great bonfire and the remaining coals make for a perfect barbecue (something we didn't plan on today). As the bamboo burns, the water trapped between the sections of the stem heats up and then bursts the bamboo in great explosions. It sounds like gunfire, fireworks or small cannons (depending on the size of the trunk). Those explosions can shoot sparks, steam and shards of bamboo as well, so if you have to burn the stuff - stand back!
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