This Peruvian Farmer Grows Over 400 Varieties of Potatoes

[elkhound]

 

[elkhound]

 

[elkhound]

 

[Weedygarden]

A number of year ago I found a couple varieties of blue potatoes, yellow potatoes and one other. I remember that at least one of them was a Peruvian variety.

What I have heard is that plant diversity is important so that we don't have a potato famine again. Also varieties of colors in vegetables offers a little variety in nutrition as well.

 

[Patchouli]

There was an article I came across a few years ago about the seed stealer, seems to me the name of the stealer starts with an M and ends in o {sarcasm}, outlawing the ancient and heirloom seeds and patenting only the ones "they" wanted to "own," in OTHER COUNTRIES! WTHeck?
So in the one part of the first video where the guy (native) said "they" whomever "they" were, wanted to patent the seeds and the Potato Park said NO, thereby leaving the community to continue on with their ancient traditions of owning the rights to the potatoes.

Another thing I found interesting in the first video was where the natives were referring to climate change and global warming (not that the video was put out by an European coalition* {please detect my sarcasm}), and he said they would still learn how to adjust what could grow due to climate change and global warming just like their ancestors had. Meaning to me, climate change has been an ongoing thing. Traditions and stories handed down from generation to generation. Those weren't his exact words, but my interpretation.
Anyway, good video.

I know someone who lived in Lima, Peru for a while and he said the potatoes were different and better.
Is there a reason why we can't have a variety of potatoes here? USDA?
What about how produce, flowers, seeds, etc. get irradiated at port to kill any unwanted organisms from coming into the country? That eliminates the word "organic" on incoming, wouldn't it?

 

[Patchouli]

The last video is freaking me out though. "...that are coming out of the breeding program here at the international, yada yada yah..." Meaning the scientific and agricultural agencies are getting their foot into the soil to change the potatoes' genetics that had been naturally growing in the region for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, to "protect" the potatoes. I'm struggling with this.

 

[Weedygarden]

I know someone who lived in Lima, Peru for a while and he said the potatoes were different and better.
Is there a reason why we can't have a variety of potatoes here? USDA?

Part of it has to do suppliers and who they connect with. Part of it is a matter of you figuring out how and where to get more varieties. Try looking in seed catalogs and looking for different varieties. Johnny's has a nice and fairly thick catalog. This company specializes in potatoes. I have gotten their catalog in the past, but potatoes are something I do not eat very often. http://www.coloradocertifiedpotatogrowers.com/

 

[Weedygarden]

The last video is freaking me out though. "...that are coming out of the breeding program here at the international, yada yada yah..." Meaning the scientific and agricultural agencies are getting their foot into the soil to change the potatoes' genetics that had been naturally growing in the region for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, to "protect" the potatoes. I'm struggling with this.

How will we be controlled? By controlling our food supply. It is already in the works. If you are a farmer and want to grow a certain crop, it is probably already a GMO. If you plant something that is not a GMO, you might find yourself in court for a variety of reasons. Lots of those stories are out there.

 

[Weedygarden]

This is another catalog I got years ago. I like to experiment. If I were eating lots of potatoes, or had a large family to feed, I would surely consider growing a bunch of potatoes of several varieties.
https://www.mainepotatolady.com/productcart/pc/home.asp


And this company: https://www.harrisseeds.com/collections/potato

 

[goshengirl]

This past year we had a crop of main potatoes and of late potatoes, and two crops of early potatoes by growing them back to back (we eat a lot of potatoes). There are just so many interesting varieties out there, how to folks limit themselves to just one variety?

 

[Weedygarden]

This past year we had a crop of main potatoes and of late potatoes, and two crops of early potatoes by growing them back to back (we eat a lot of potatoes). There are just so many interesting varieties out there, how to folks limit themselves to just one variety?

I think it depends how and where you get your starts. If I get them at my local Home Depot, I have the choice of two varieties. If I buy them at my local nursery, it is about the same. If I order them online, it looks like I have a couple dozen varieties (or more) to choose from. I think that is is in planning.

 

[goshengirl]

I think it depends how and where you get your starts. If I get them at my local Home Depot, I have the choice of two varieties. If I buy them at my local nursery, it is about the same. If I order them online, it looks like I have a couple dozen varieties (or more) to choose from. I think that is is in planning.

I do order my seed potatoes online, usually from Potato Garden, Irish Eyes, and/or Gurneys. But I can also be quite weak when I walk into Tractor Supply or Menard's and see seed potatoes right there, ready to buy and feed my sense of instant gratification. I tend to end up with more potatoes than I have room to grow - but I am oh so slowly getting better about that...

 

[The Innkeeper]

There are plenty of heirloom potato growers out there, I always try for heirlooms no matter what the crop.

 

[joel]

I had some finger potatoes that were peruvian.

 

[joel]

There are other tubers, Oca, Mashwa & Ullucu.
Not potatoes, but tubers that are eaten.

 

[Weedygarden]

I do order my seed potatoes online, usually from Potato Garden, Irish Eyes, and/or Gurneys. But I can also be quite weak when I walk into Tractor Supply or Menard's and see seed potatoes right there, ready to buy and feed my sense of instant gratification. I tend to end up with more potatoes than I have room to grow - but I am oh so slowly getting better about that...

I do this as well. I think I got my purple potatoes at Lowe's. There are a few places that carry plant starts and I am always checking them out.

 

[elkhound]

since yall are talking about this..you really need to watch this entire video.listen especially close about when you buy a packet of seeds from many corps.

 

[Patchouli]

I know a few other people here in TX that do grow their own potatoes and it is probably just the most easily accessed, like at H.D.
Can anyone report on varieties of potatoes they've used? I am not liking how most of the taters I use cook up. Russett or the thinner skinned boiling potatoes are not very appealing anymore.
Potatoes have been a comfort food or something I eat when sick.

 

[elkhound]

#1= Kennebecs
#2= red pontiac

only grew one year but was decent but smaller than kennebecs..dakota pearl

grew various fingerlings i like most of them..purple,french and the makah tribe potato..but its hard to get a start of them. i have them thanks to martin longesth.

 

[joel]

This year I was given two pounds of chipped eyes, so I am not sure what kind they are, but white/yellow skin, so maybe common potatoes lie what is sold in the store.

 

[Solar Geek]

I only plant organic Reds and Yukons. Just not a fan of the big baking potatoes because you can get them when you’re out.

I live in “round up ready” heaven.

We have 50 acres and are surrounded by 4000 acre farms.
Each one of them today and all this week is having liquid manure from the dairy farm north of us trucked down to their fields to spray all over it. These huge heavy trucks cross each other going back to the dairy and going to the Farms every 17 seconds right now. Yes we have timed it.

Those cows have been fed all kinds of things contaminated with antibiotics, glyphosate in the form of round up And more.

Then they aeroslly spray three times a year anti-fungal hazardous chemicals and of course round up at least twice.

You have no idea what goes into growing potatoes- get organic and grow those each from your put aside seed. Mine are downstairs in the cold room and I can’t wait for another week or two when I can plant them.

 

[Bacpacker]

T used to grow nothing but Kennebecs. Started with Red Pontiacs a few years ago. Both do ok, but the Yukons dont keep well for me. 3 years ago I switched to Yukon Golds. They grow great for us, keep decently, taste good. They are easier on the wifes stomach. shes is allergic somewhat to white ones.

 

[Weedygarden]

I got free potato seeds from the place that was recommended here. They are growing in a seed starting tray. I think that since they are fragile plants, it is too early to plant them outdoors, unlike when I plant from seed potatoes. I think they would have frozen this past weekend. We had a low of 29 degrees. I do know that potatoes will freeze. It happened to me when I tried to grow some in buckets.