It's Potato Day in England
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.06
Oh, to live in England where they celebrate Potato Day. At Ryton Organic Gardens in Warwickshire, visitors get to purchase from a selection of 80 different varieties of potatoes spanning 150 years of history, right back to Pink Fir Apples dating from 1850. Says Alan Wilson of Watrose: "Come and see the ancient Fortyfold to the silky smooth Maris Piper. And who is Felside Hero? The best eating potato of all?” Also attending is a character dressed as Sir Walter Raleigh will also give a “Potted History of Potatoes”. He will explain that - although he often gets the credit for “discovering” potatoes and bringing them back to British shores - their real history is much richer and dates back to Peru 6,000 years ago. We are amazed that so many varieties are still available- how much more interesting than our supermarket monoculture diet. January 29th and 29th ::Garden Organic thanks, tipster Bonnie!
It's true there are many varieties of potatoes, far more than what we usually see offered in the stores and markets, but it's also worth remembering that back in the Andes, where they came from, there are a whole range of other tubers that are cultivated and just as prized as spuds: ocas (related to wood sorrel), ullucos, yacons (related to sunflowers), mashuas... each of them with its own culinary and nutritional advantages.
The Potato Day at Ryton is but one of many now run up and down England, although they all owe their origin to the first day in Ryton some 13 years ago, they all offer something different.
The Hampshire Potato day offers the widest selection almost 150 varieties and a Seed Swap amongst many other additional attractions. Children are especially welcome with lots of puzzles, competitions and vegetable printing to keep them occupied and hopefully persuade them to become the gardeners of tomorrow
Details are at http://www.hhdra.org.uk/potatoday.htm
Details of Potato Days in the UK in early 2007 are now being assembled at http://thewhitchurchweb.org/potatoday
Yet again the 2007 Hampshire Day aims to offer the widest choice in the country (and the world?) with 150 varieties, plus loads of other items for gardeners, talks, cookery demonstrations and children's activities - each child recieves their own free seed potato