~“A Taste of Our Ancestors” ~While not as true in some parts of the South, in Appalachia the trusty potato is still the staple garden product used most on a daily basis. In the sandy mountain soils it is as dependable as ever and in the cooler well drained soils insure a long growing season and the ability for late harvest. ~Of the many gardens and “truck patches” I have seen and worked, if standard practices are followed the potato is just about as dependable a crop that can be raised. I always called it a “money saver crop” because of the fact you get so much more out of it than you put in and since all of us with a little “High Irish” in us eat potatoes regularly, it is a win-win for the pocket book. ~There are only two rules for growing quantity and quality potatoes, -big ridges (hills) and plenty of fertilizer. In the flatter, less drained areas of the South, according to soil, the rules may vary and the potential to have to dig potatoes early exists. In the red soils of the Sequatchie Valley, I am told by a “real garden lady”, that potatoes not dug by the 4th of July will many times “bake in the ground”. ~Labor Day, my entire life, weather permitting, has been my “tater digging day” in this area. Traditionally we have grown two types of potatoes. One variety is commonly called the “Irish Potato” in this area, or simply what is known as “red potatoes”. Most of the time these comprise only two varieties, the “Kennebek and the “Red Pontiac”. Both are great disease resistant potatoes that have been around for over half a century, However they bear little resemblance to the potato varieties of our ancestors. Before I begin, let me say, you will not find a better, more disease resistant, and tolerant potato in general than the “Kennebec”. Developed by the USDA in 1941, it has become the standard for gardens and the non- Agribusiness market. ~The massive failure of the potato crops during the 1840s in Europe and their historical repercussions of famine and human displacement are well known. The reasons for this disaster are also well understood and provide one of the strongest possible arguments for preserving genetic diversity in all living things, unheeded as this call may be. The potatoes grown in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries all descended from a small handful of introductions that were closely related. Through constant inbreeding, new varieties were created, yet genetically they were all nearly identical. When the blight struck, none of these old types were resistant to it, so the disease spread quickly and lethally. ~In reality, “heirloom potatoes” is difficult to describe. The only remaining “seed” predating the blight of the 1840s are currently held in reserve at “gene banks” or in a few special botanical collections. The genetic aspects as we now understand them were not fully appreciated in the nineteenth century, but horticulturists did realize that the plants were inbred and therefore unable to resist disease. As the Florist and Horticultural Journal (1854) editorialized on the degeneracy of the potato and the “disease of 1846,” raising potatoes from tubers was unnatural because it bypassed the seed stage, thus perpetuating weaknesses and rendering them more “fixed and unchangeable. Yes, -“potato seeds” do exist and form in a small pod after they bloom. Without them, the potato would not exist as we know them today. ~Since the potatoes we grow successfully in our region have been around for over 70 years, it is now hard to pin down the older popular local and regional varieties. I only remember two distinct types that were both grown and spoken of by the pre-WWII crowd. First was the “Irish Cobbler” or “”Irish Tater” which must be a great deal like the old stock and which I have both grown and eaten. The other was just spoken of, but must have enjoyed great popularity, -the “Russett” potato. Irish Cobbler Potato ~This early-season potato has a much pronounced potato flavor and a nutty aroma to the skin. It is very fine boiled in the skins, which turn light brown when cooked but are covered with patches and irregularities that do not recommend it as a garnish potato (if you are into that sort of thing.) This is definitely a homely potato, at its best in rustic country recipes. Russet Burbank Potato ~Developed in 1876 from “Early Rose”, this is Idaho potato, perfect for baking and frying. The potatoes are long and rounded on the ends, sometimes attaining very large size. This potato is difficult to grow in many parts of the South; it requires uniform moisture throughout its growing season, and must have loose sandy soil in order to develop well-shaped potatoes. Where it grows well, it produces abundantly, better than some of the russet varieties of more recent date. ~Both of these old heirloom types are available for purchase and both share a common link to the older “Early Rose” which was nationally popular after 1870 and replaced a host of even older varieties. First noted in 1861, it became a Southern favorite and eventually replaced the pre-Civil War favorite, called the “Pink Eye” potato. Old timers used to speak of a potato called “Pink Eyes” but I have never seen the type and only know of it through hearing of it when I was a child. It is not known if they were referring to the actual pre-war “Pink Eye” or its popular replacement, the “Early Rose”. Apparently the old “Pink Eye” our Southern ancestors relied on had a tan skin and “pink” eyes. It supposedly was very waxy and like the old “Irish Cobbler” had a nutty flavor, unlike most varieties found today. ~The Burpee Seed Company offers an online assortment of “Heirloom Seed Potatoes” which includes 50 seed potatoes in four varieties. Try them and see what you think, you may be surprised, but your biggest surprise may be the “sticker shock” from the cost of these long ago potatoes. ~The New Leaf potato, is genetically modified variety brought to market by Monsanto in the late 1990s, was developed for the fast food market, but was withdrawn from the market in 2001 after fast food retailers did not pick it up and food processors ran into export problems. There are currently no transgenic potatoes marketed for human consumption. Lets hope it stays that way! (pictured) Irish Cobbler, Pink Eye, and Russet heirloom potatoes
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 00:57:51 +0000
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