Then the taste test came. I don't know many who dislike fresh garden potatoes, other than one of my sons, who doesnt like them any which way. They were delicious, at least those from my garden were, however; the red ones from the market were not tasty at all. I wonder if they were over watered, which resulted in the huge size and bland flavour. The russets I planted were smooth and buttery in texture and had that unique sought after fresh garden potato taste.
Tonight I decided to dig up another hill. We have had two nights of frost and there is frost predicted for many nights the week after next. Already the potato vines are dying down, so harvest will come soon. The above ground crops will not come into fruition this year other than a few zucchini, one pumpkin and one squash, a few cucumbers daily and lots of tomatoes, that will be picked green, so I do not lose them to the frost like last year.
Again the potatoes were fantastic. I suppose , if one had to eat them night after night, day after day, as they Irish did during the famine, they would be tiresome, but they are wholesome and have ample vitamins and even a little protein. I planted about 50 hills of potatoes and have not watered them with the permaculture style gardens I have. They could be larger if they had a longer season, though I am quite happy with having potatoes that are organically grown in this neck of the woods, no matter the size.