Great tater harvest 2013

[wdfifteen]

I waited to dig up the last few potato plants until my grandsons could be here to help. I wanted to show them where food comes from (not McDonalds). I could not have anticipated how excited they were. It was like a miracle to them that we could dig food right out of the ground. I don't think I've ever seen them so excited!
Of course we had to take some inside and put one in the oven to bake, and one in the microwave, and of course cut one up to make french fries.
Being with these curious, enthusiastic kids having fun and learning something truly basic to their lives was such a blessing. The looks of wonder on their faces were priceless. When I was done (as in exhausted) the youngest one said, "Now we have to make mashed potatoes, Grumple." I couldn't turn him down.



The miracle of taters.

[HardDrive]

Nice!

My wife and I are new to OH, and planning our gardens for next year. I might need to tap your green thumb knowledge.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Nice!

My wife and I are new to OH, and planning our gardens for next year. I might need to tap your green thumb knowledge.

No problem. I'm near Springfield.

[sc_rufctr]

So cool. I've always encouraged my kids to help me do things. I can't wait to do the same when I have grand kids.

Thanks for posting this. I've always believed this stuff is really important.

[J P Stein]

The nice thing about spuds is you can leave them it the ground till you need them....as long as you don't wait till next spring. You don't need to harvest/eat a boat load of tomatoes when they all get ripe at once.

[mattdavis11]

That's awesome! I've been trying to explain to my GF's son, no matter how they are prepared, they're potatoes and you like them. He loves fries, but prepare them another way and it's a no-go.

[herr_oberst]

Reds, whites and russets!

[HardDrive]

I can tell we are going to have a problem here in Ohio that we did not have in WA: Rabbits. Our yard is crawling with them, and they eat everything in sight. My wife and daughter will not approve of me shooting them, so it looks like fencing will be in order.

[vash]

super cool!!


at what age do kids learn where meat comes from?

[UconnTim97]

Thanks for sharing! We planted potatoes for the first time this year. We plan to harvest them soon.

HD, we have plenty of rabbits in our area too. We are one of the few yards without a dog and the small animals find a safe haven in our yard.
I made a mixture of red pepper and water and spray that on the plants.
In a container of water add a lot of crushed red pepper and let it sit overnight. You can boil it if you are in a hurry. Filter through a coffee filter and pour into a generic spray bottle. It has worked well for us so far. You can add soap to make it stick to the plants better. I just reapply after it rains.

ETA: Take note of the wind direction when spraying your plants.

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by vash

at what age do kids learn where meat comes from?

It's not age specific, it depends on when they first learn to harvest.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I can tell we are going to have a problem here in Ohio that we did not have in WA: Rabbits.

Not a problem... an opportunity.
Hasenpfeffer Recipe - A Recipe for German Braised Rabbit | Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

[vash]

a rabbit at my local store costs $22 each. frozen.

i was amazed. $22 or 22 cal? easy math.

[GH85Carrera]

A friend of mine grew taters in the back yard. He was excited to show his kids the process of digging up food. The kids were revolted and grossed out that it was all dirty. He actually had to PAY the kids a dollar each to taste the home grown taters. He showed them a bag from the grocery store and they still did not believe store bought food was grown in dirt.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

A friend of mine grew taters in the back yard. He was excited to show his kids the process of digging up food. The kids were revolted and grossed out that it was all dirty. He actually had to PAY the kids a dollar each to taste the home grown taters. He showed them a bag from the grocery store and they still did not believe store bought food was grown in dirt.

Wow, city kids should all spend a week or two on a farm to see how things are done in the country. They really don't want to see where eggs come from, or how a manure spreader/honey wagon works to help those veggies grow.

[ben parrish]

My girls are 6 and 9...we raise chicken, rabbits and fish on our property...all are eaten. They have pet rabbits and " meat" rabbits. We all enjoy venison..actually our preferred meat. We also have deer on the property that will never be harvested for our consumption...we like to see the babies grow up. I want them to know where things come from and appreciate what it means to be close to your food.

[scottmandue]

We have a small garden, how much space does it take to grow taters?

My wife claims when they lived on the farm they would eat them raw right out of the ground!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

We have a small garden, how much space does it take to grow taters?

My wife claims when they lived on the farm they would eat them raw right out of the ground!

Yuck! I don't like raw potatoes.
One plant takes up about 1 1/2 square feet of ground.

[widgeon13]

Worked for a company in northern Maine, big potato country. Before automated harvesters potato picking was a very miserable job. The used to let the HS kids off for two weeks of harvesting to work in the fields. Dirty, cold, wet and I'm guessing pretty poor pay especially if you were slow.

[Baz]

Nice work, Patrick. Kids these days need as much practical education as possible. I'm not sure they are getting it in school. I've always supported FFA and vocational education. Nothing like getting some dirt under your nails while creating something...self-esteem building!