Potato Lovers Month – February 2025

History of Potato Lovers Month

Potatoes have been around for many centuries. They were initially domesticated independently by various people. However, the first time they were cultivated at a large scale was by the Incas in South America about 1,800 years ago. The Spaniards introduced potatoes to Europe in the latter part of the 16th century when they invaded the continent.

By the end of the 17th century, potatoes had become a prominent crop in Ireland. Around the end of the 18th century, potatoes had become an important crop in all of Europe, especially in Germany and western England. In 1621, potatoes traveled to the Colonies. This happened when the Governor of Bermuda, dispatched two big boxes containing potatoes to the Governor of Virginia. In 1719, the first potato cultivation was done in North America by the immigrants of Scotch-Irish origin. The crop slowly spread across the whole country from that point.

Potatoes continued to spread all over the world and their demand continued to increase. The Irish agricultural economy fully became dependent on potatoes, so much so that the potato famine during the 19th century, rattled the Irish economy from the core. The aftereffects of this famine made the Irish people more conscious of their dependence on the crop.

Idaho is the current largest producer of potatoes. The farmers only started growing potatoes in 1836 due to the missionaries moving west to teach the native tribes to grow crops instead of having to hunt and gather. In 1872 the Russet Burbank variety of potato was created in Idaho and only then did its potato industry begin to prosper.