Potatoes

     I finally found some potatoes. (Actually, my brother found them for me.) Potato fields are surprisingly scarce in Owyhee County this year, at least on this end of the county. As you probably know, Idaho is known for its potatoes. As part of Idaho, Owyhee County grows its share of them, but it it would seem not so many this year.

     A potato is a tuber that grows on the root of this plant which is also called a potato or potato plant. The edible parts of the plant are underground right now, growing. It would be rude to yank them up at this point so you'll just have to wait to see them till they're ready.

     Some of the potato plants are blooming. This will create fruit, but don't eat them! They're toxic. Pretty much every part of the potato plant, except for the tuber itself, contain toxins (called glycoalkaloids if you were wondering) that can make you pretty sick. Don't worry, though, you'd have to eat a lot of those things first, and I doubt I'll see any of you grazing out in the potato fields any time soon.
    

     For now they're pretty much just growing. As far as action goes potatoes get most interesting around harvest time. Hopefully I'll be able to get an article about that. Until then, I suppose you could study the pictures so you can identify the potato fields that are found just about anywhere in the world.