POTATOES
(Solanum tuberosum)
Thousands of years ago, high in the Andes mountains of Peru, ancient people grew and harvested the potato as their ancestors had already been doing for hundreds of years before them. This dependable food source enabled them to feed their population which would later become the mighty Inca empire. The Inca were admired and feared by neighboring tribes who were victims of raids for slaves and human sacrifice. The pyramids and temples of the Inca remain today as a testament to their great civilization.
The
Inca ate potatoes baked with edible clay boiled, peeled & mashed and they also
made potato starch. Inca's had a
technique for persevering potatoes; 'chuno'
which could last for years without refrigeration. It was the food that protected them in times
of poor harvest against starvation and fed their powerful Inca army. Chuno was made by
spreading potatoes outside to freeze on cold nights, then thawing them in the
morning sun. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles
transform the spuds into soft, juicy blobs that resembled today's gnocchi, a
potato dumpling from central Italy.
The
Inca reigned for thousands of years before the arrival of the first Europeans
from Spain. In the 1620's the Spanish
who were devote Catholics brought Christianity to the New World, as well as
strange and deadly diseases for which the natives had no immunity. In return the Conquistadors took shiploads of
gold and silver back to Spain as well as new plants and foods including
potatoes.
When
potatoes reached Spain they were met with skepticism. The tuber looked unappetizing and lacked
flavor on its own. In spite of this the
potato would soon change the world and fuel the industrial revolution.
Potatoes
were hardier and easier to grow than wheat. When wheat or corn is knocked over by a storm
the entire plant is damaged. Potatoes,
growing underground are able to withstand this damage. Wheat was also very susceptible to diseases
and crop loss. Because of this problem
there were often times of starvation in European countries which lead to unrest
and riots. It is believed that potatoes
brought an end to these cycles of
starvation.
Rulers
of these nations saw the potential of potatoes and worked hard to get their
people to eat them. When potato plants
bloom, they send up five-lobed flowers that spangle fields like fat purple
stars. By some accounts, Marie
Antoinette liked the blossoms so much that she put them in her hair. Her husband, Louis XVI, put one in his
buttonhole, inspiring a brief vogue in which the French aristocracy 'swanned'
around with potato plants on their clothes.
The flowers were part of an attempt to persuade French farmers to plant
and French diners to eat this strange new species.
Thomas
Jefferson loved fried potatoes so much he brought the potato home to America.
From
1845 to 1849 Europe was struck by the Irish Potato Famine, also known as the
great hunger or the great starvation. A
natural virus, 'water spore' spread the disease called 'late blight' to potato
crops throughout Europe. One hundred
thousand people died on the European mainland but the Irish suffered the
most. Over one million Irish people
starved to death and another one million fled Ireland for counties around the
world. In those four years Ireland lost
twenty-five percent of her population.
Today
the potato is the fifth most important crop worldwide, after wheat, corn, rice
and sugar cane.
Potatoes contain a good
amount of carbohydrates and fiber, as well as vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium
and manganese. Their nutrient content
can vary depending on the type of potato and cooking method. Potatoes also contain antioxidants.
The potato skin has more nutrients
than the interior of the potato.
The skin has lots of fiber, about half of a medium potato's fiber is from the skin. Eat the skin to capture all the
natural nutrition of a
russet potato.
Although the potato is
now associated with industrial scale monoculture, the International Potato
Center in Peru has preserved almost five thousand varieties.
Growing Potatoes In Containers
Gardening with children
It takes a lot of land
to grow enough potatoes to feed an entire family, but luckily potatoes can be
grown in raised beds or even containers.
This project can be done with little space as long as you have six hours
of sunlight a day. This is a great educational project for gardening with
children.
It is best to start with
'seed potatoes' from a garden center which haven't been treated with chemicals to
preserve the potato and might inhibit growth.
Select a container that
is at least 12" wide and 12" deep.
Add 5" of soil to the
container and plant your seed potatoes, eyes facing up 4" apart and
4" from the side of your container. Wait until the sprouts emerge before watering and as the potatoes
grow add soil over them. This will make
stronger plants and a bigger crop. Don't cover the plants completely as it
needs sunlight to grow. Potatoes require a constant moisture level and don't
like to dry out. Your crop of potatoes should be ready to harvest in 70 to 120
days, depending on the variety.
You can research growing
potatoes or gardening with children on the internet and YouTube.
Thanks to The
Smithsonian for the information in this article.
Happy
Autumn & Keep Keeping Safe,
James
