No-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world
The potato harvest is a highlight for most potato farmers around the world, big and small growers alike. At times it turns out to be the “cherry on the cake” after a long season of sweat and toil, especially when pleasant surprises are unexpectedly unearthed. Other times it might turn out to be a time rife with disappointment and agony – a time best forgotten as soon as possible. However it might turn out to be, harvest time is always marked by a good measure of excitement and anticipation.
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Weber Farms is a 3rd generation family farm that was established in 1962 in Quincy, Washington. The farm typically raises around 4500 acres of potatoes that are processed by Lamb Weston. Varieties grown include Clearwater, Altura, Umatilla and Burbank’s. Other crops include sweet corn, apples and cherries. During an interview with Potato News Today, Adam Weber shared more information on[Read More…]
Potatoes have played a much more significant role in our history than just that of the dietary staple we have come to know and love today. Leo Bear-McGuinness shares how without the potato, our modern civilization might not exist at all. This is a TED-Ed video. The Lesson was prepared by Leo Bear-McGuinness, animation by Black Powder Design. Watch below,[Read More…]
Maria Flynn at Ballymakenny Farm in Ireland is one remarkable lady – and so are the marvelous heritage and specialty potato varieties that she grows at Ballymakenny farm. The potatoes are marketed to high end restaurants in Ireland. Beautifully coloured creations they are – filled with the best nutritional value that only potatoes can offer. Where else can one go[Read More…]
The 11th Triennial African Potato Association Conference took place the past week (Aug 25 – 29) in Kigali, Rwanda. The agenda and program of presentations can be found here. The APA has published a series of photos on its Facebook page taken during the event. We publish a few of these below. Go here to view all the photos. Go[Read More…]
Folks, I have produced a short 5-minute video containing pictures of potato harvest activities as it’s done in several countries around the world. You can watch the video below, or watch it on YouTube. Great many thanks to all those whose pictures are featured in the video – with acknowledgement, and much appreciated!
During the winter months the shed doors are firmly closed and all is quiet. However, when you take a look inside you’ll find Dutch seed potato farmers are picking the fruit of their labour. In the video below, you get to see the full seed potato journey on a specialised seed potato farm in the Dutch growing region ‘Wieringermeer’. After[Read More…]
Potato production in Michigan is ranked seventh (~$200 million) in the U.S. Approximately 70 percent of the potatoes produced in Michigan goes towards chipping. Potato production systems are impacted annually by many recurrent and persistent seedborne and storage diseases. Dickeya and Pectobacterium are closely related bacteria species that cause seed piece decay, blackleg, aerial stem rot and wilt, and tuber soft rot. A[Read More…]
However you feel about McDonald’s, it is inescapable. The franchise has outposts in over 100 countries throughout the world, with a total number of locations topping 36,000 (as of January 2018). Wherever you go, there is McDonald’s. And in every McDonald’s, you can find many of the same menu items: the standard burgers, the thin, salty fries. They may be called Le[Read More…]
With this collage of 50 photos, depicting potato planting in different countries by different people from many cultures, we wish to pay a humble tribute to the great Potato that all of us love here on Potato News Today…
As an ex potato farmer myself, I very well know that apart from the joy of working with the crop itself, the machines used to work potato fields are high up on the list for most potato growers when it comes to the essence of what makes potato growing such a wondrous (and for some addictive) occupation… I hope you[Read More…]
A new round of potato breeding work just started as spring has arrived in Xiji County – northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region – where the potato is a specialty industry. Three relevant photos in this regard were released to the public by Xinhua/Feng Kaihua today, and we republish these below. As soon as we receive any further information on[Read More…]
Morgan Smallman owns and operates a family farming operation that specializes in the production of potatoes on Prince Edward Island in Canada. The Smallman operation is typical of the traditional family farm where several generations of a particular family are not only playing an active role in the day to day management of business, but where the youngest generation is[Read More…]
Wada Farms out of Michaud, Idaho restructured their harvest and storage system in 2016 with major changes. The operation went from two 10-row systems to one 16-row system for harvesting. They updated from two 6400 Spudnik harvesters to one 6640 harvester – a much bigger harvester (a “spud son of a gun”, one operator says). With the new system, two[Read More…]
From last Sunday, 25 November, until Tuesday, 27 November, the 19th edition of the Interpom | Primeurs was held at the Xpo in Kortrijk, Belgium. There were 328 exhibitors from 15 different countries at this trade show. The Show was visited by 19.508 people from 49 different countries. The fair is aimed at the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. However, the[Read More…]
Look nowhere else than New Zealand to find them spuds down under! The potato industry in NZ is valued at $982 million per annum, says Gemma Carroll, Communications and Engagement Officer at Potatoes New Zealand. Gemma says that processed products make up 65% of that value. NZ has a growing export market, primarily to neighbouring countries in the Pacific, including[Read More…]
Maria Flynn at Ballymakenny Farm in Ireland is one remarkable lady – and so are the marvelous heritage and specialty potato varieties that she grows at the Farm and are marketed to high end restaurants in Ireland. Beautifully coloured creations, filled with the best nutritional value that only potatoes can offer. Where else to find these but in Ireland? From[Read More…]
REMA Environmental Machinery BV in the Netherlands is a company that’s been developing and producing a series of mechanical haulm removal machines (EnviMaxX) for several years. Piet Regnerus, President and owner of REMA sent us a series of photos and a video showing his machine at work on a 1,000 ha potato operation in the Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia,[Read More…]
Feel free to get in touch with Lukie!
He will be most happy to share potato news stories from your country on Potato News Today.
lukie@potatonewstoday.com
lukie5555@gmail.com
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