First Harvest of Potatoes

Yesterday I went out with my basket and dug up the first half of my potatoes. Next year, I will use much more compost for a greater yield, but the first harvest wasn't too shabby for container potato plants. There were Purple Majesty, Banana Fingerling, and Yukon Gold Potatoes.

Digging for the potatoes is half the fun, like an Easter egg hunt for grown ups. I emptied one container at a time into a plastic bag and then dug around for buried treasure as I added the soil back into the container.

Of course, the other fun part about growing your own potatoes is figuring out how you will eat them. These potatoes are so tender and crisp inside, and on the outside, the thin skin so very delicate.  My favorite way to prepare them is simply to roast them in olive oil with fresh herbs and garlic.

Growing potatoes at home gives me such a thrill that I think I will grow them every year from now on. I ordered special seed potatoes this year by mail, but next year I may just use organic potatoes from the Natural Foods Co-op where I live.