A lesson on Potatoes

Potatoes look kind of like people. Little round neck-less people. This opinion could of course stemmed from early childhood memories of the famous toy, Mr. Potato Head. Because this Hasbro/Playskool marketed potato has always disturbed me I now believe I can not look at a potato without seeing the little arms and legs and the creepy little eyes. It just so happens that my task was to cut these sprouting evil starchy beings all day long in preparation for planting the potato hills.

The Potato. Is a very sensitive crop. It is illegal to sell seed potatoes (the potatoes that are spouting which you plant to have your very own potato plant yourself) unless you are a certified seed potato grower. To achieve this certification seed potato production becomes your waking life. The potatoes must be constantly tested for blight, sampled for germination and a whole bunch of other complicated things which have left my mind but that's ok cause I don't think I'll be growing potatoes anytime in the near future. So this law, which is national though regulations vary from state to state, means that you have to order potatoes from a certified source and that most potatoes will be coming for a far away distance. To make things more complicated- try finding organic seed potatoes.

So Potatoes: lots of work finding, lots of time cutting, but almost zero time in planting and care. You literally could through them with a little force onto a bed, all about 10" apart and you would have a healthy crop of potatoes. You don't even need to water them. It's brilliant if you ask me. But just this last part. Plus you can throw them on the ground then punch them into the soil and get out a little bit of frustration or anger. oh yeah.....

So much for potatoes.