I realize that’s a
bit of an unfortunate allusion, given the Irish Potato Famine back in the
1800s. But call it what you will, whether my problem is ignorance, negligence,
bad luck, or out-and-out stupidity, as the Berryridge Farm potato manager, I
have overseen the ruin of more potato crops than you can shake a hoe at.
Early on, I took charge of our potato crop because a) I love
potatoes, and b) since I’m Irish on both sides, I should be a champion spud
grower.
But it hasn’t turned out that way. I’ve weathered early
blight, late blight, weeds taking over, and storage stupidity. In 2008, we had
a fantastic crop, not much blight, with about one hundred pounds of taters, many
of which I’d harvested in the cold November rains. I stashed the whole caboodle
in our un-insulated shop. That’s where the stupidity factor comes in: I forgot
to bring the potatoes into the house when we got smacked by a late December
Northeaster and the temperature dropped to five degrees. Can you say “taters frozen
hard as baseballs?”
I thought we could save the crop, until the weather warmed
up. That's when I had a half-dozen grocery bags full of blackened, squishy, rotting
potatoes. I almost cried. That was my low point.
The next year, we escaped the blight, but our harvest seemed
a little…modest. Picking potatoes, I’d turn up a hill, and find two or three
teensy tubers. Where were the lovely fist-sized spuds of yore? But I’d just
published my memoir Little Farm in the Foothills, and busy with author
appearances, I didn’t give my tater mystery the attention it deserved.
But the following year, 2010, the mystery deepened: the yield was
even smaller, and almost all the larger potatoes had big chunks missing. At the
same time, swathes of seedlings of our above-ground crops sort of just disappeared
too. We did a little research and discovered where our potatoes (and seedlings)
were: in the tummies of our resident voles. Voles are little rodents a lot like
moles, who live in underground tunnels. Only moles are carnivores: they like to
eat bugs and stuff underground. Would that voles ate the same! No, they’re
vegetarians—and they are voracious eaters of just about everything in your
garden, above and below ground: your carrots, beets, peas, kale, spinach,
broccoli, and yes, your potatoes.
Due to vole predation, last summer’s crop was small too—but
at least I’d protect it from freezing. We put a fridge in the shop, and I
stored my taters in there. But I forgot one small detail: to adjust the
temperature setting suitable for an indoor fridge to an outdoor one. After
another northeaster, I went out for some more potatoes, and discovered my bags
were full of frost: foiled—or should I say frozen—again! I turned up the fridge
temp, but of course it was too late. My crop went the way of the previously
frozen one: the compost pile.
But I have new hope for the 2012 season, even if this seems
like the coldest, rainiest June ever. John traveled to eastern Washington
Well, these Irish eyes are really smiling now. I’ll let you
know if they’re still smiling in August, when I start harvesting!
