Idaho Spuds

There is a somewhat quirky fact about living in Idaho: even though we are known world-wide for our potatoes, if you actually LIVE in Idaho and would like to eat an Idaho potato, then you better darn well grow it yourself. I have eaten or seen Idaho potatoes on the menu all over the world...everywhere, in fact, but here in Idaho. Either we just don't advertise it, or those Idaho potatoes are so precious elsewhere that that's where they all go: elsewhere.

With that in mind, my family has always grown potatoes. One of my first gardening memories is of planting potatoes with my dad. He would sow the ground ahead of time and make the perfect little rows, then we'd go along and he'd carefully cut the potato (making sure to include the all-important "eye", or sprout) and I'd drop it in and cover it up. Over and over, all down the row. These days, we don't bother with cutting the potatoes any more and just drop them in whole, but the ritual is the same and it's one of the ways I know that Spring is here and it won't really be winter in Idaho forever.

This year, Anna was finally old enough to get in on the fun, too. We're planting a little earlier than usual, but with the nicer-than-usual weather we've been having lately (knocking on every wood surface in reach here), we decided to go ahead and get them in the ground. We planted Yukon Golds (one of my favorite and most versatile potatoes with barely any skin) and tried out some Russian fingerlings that just happened to have been forgotten in the pantry and magically "became" seed potatoes. ;o)


Now I can't wait to get the rest of the garden in, but I am dutifully (and with much difficulty) making myself wait until our frost-free date.........................May 15th seems so far away!