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  • Cory Summerhays

History of the Idaho Potato

According to Cory Summerhays, throughout the generations, the Crapo family's connection to the Idaho potato has deepened. In a photograph taken in the late 1940s, Bruce Crapo's grandfather, Leslie Stoddard, can be seen wearing a hat and a work shirt. With his older brother on the tractor, Bruce watched as the harvester dug up one row of spuds in the field. To facilitate pick-up, the potatoes were placed in burlap sacks and left in the field.


It was in the Cache Valley, three years before Idaho became a state, that potatoes were first grown in Idaho. It was taken to eastern Idaho by early settlers because the soil there had a lot of volcanic ash in it, and water could be diverted easily. Idaho planted its first crops in 1882, covering 2,000 acres. During the year 1882, the crop made $250,000. 33,000 acres of potatoes were grown in the state in 1915. Potatoes were first imported to the United States through Idaho.


In Idaho, there are now more than 30 varieties of potatoes grown. The most common is the Russet Burbank. An elongated, netted skin, small eyes, and a starchy white flesh characterize this creature. In the twentieth century, Idaho became well-known for this particular variety. It's a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. As well as Russet Burbank, the state grows over two dozen other varieties of potatoes.


Check out the Idaho Potato Museum if you want to learn more about Idaho potato culture. Union Pacific Railroad's Oregon Short Line Railroad Depot used to occupy the building. In October of 1912, work began, and it was completed on August 15, 1913. There was much discussion among the locals about the importance of the potato industry and the possibility of opening a potato museum. In return, the railroad gave Blackfoot City the depot building.


There were three Crapo brothers in the second generation of the Crapo family. The company was propelled to the top of the Idaho potato industry under their leadership. George L. Crapo, the family's oldest son, went to school and worked on the family farm. On the farm, he was in charge of the bookkeeping. The other two brothers were farm laborers. The company could not function without any of the three. The three brothers, in fact, worked together to build the company. In addition, he worked on the Teton Dam project, which was a watershed moment for Idaho's potato industry.


Cory Summerhays explained that, Henry Harmon Spalding, a Presbyterian missionary, brought the potato to Idaho in the early 1900s. In 1836, he founded the Lapwai Mission to teach the Nez Perce Indians about agriculture. One harvest was a failure and another a success for this mission. In Lapwai, however, potato farming was short-lived due to the massacre of the mission by the Nez Perces.


When farmers first arrived in Iowa, the potato was an important crop, but it wasn't a staple. Idaho, on the other hand, was a major potato producer, particularly in the Lapwai region. There is no doubt that Idaho has been a major economic contributor thanks to the state's history of producing potatoes. In addition, it is the state's most important economic contributor. In other words, a freighter named Henry Jenkins delivered potatoes to the area using a team of mules. In time, it became known as Idaho Falls.


Cory Summerhays revealed that, shipments of Idaho potatoes were sent to every state except Hawaii in 1924 because of their popularity. By far the largest of its kind in the United States, this year's potato expo visited 33 states. The first year of the expo was a huge success, with over 5000 visitors. Eventually, the expo was run by multiple potato boards, and many more volunteers stepped up to help. An Idaho Potato Museum was created as a result of its continued success.


While the Idaho Potato is known around the world, its roots can be traced back much further in time than that. The potato thrives in these conditions because of the elevation. Potatoes were first discovered in South America's mountain ranges. Potatoes thrived at high altitudes in the Andes Mountains. Potatoes became a big business in the early 1900s because of these conditions. This particular variety of potato, however, hails from Idaho.

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