Who doesn't love potatoes? It's very rare for someone to say "no thanks" to a plate of French fries. In this article dedicated to the world's favorite tuber , we will go down a long path.
We will start in the mountains, then cross the sea and reach unknown countries by land… Just like the potato did, we will embark on a journey.
We will also learn how it is grown in Spain and the figures that its production yields . All of this, accompanied by the wisdom of our fellow farmer Vicent, for whom the land is sustenance and a way of life.
We will also learn about its nutritional benefits and the importance that this tuber had - and still has - in the human diet.
At Campos del Abuelo we are not only among those who would never say no to a plate of chips, but we also have the privilege of consuming the organic potatoes that Vicent grows in the Huerta de Valencia .
Now, this story begins in none other than a lake located 3,800 meters above sea level.
Origin of the potato
The potato, like any adventurous tuber, embarked on a journey from the high Andean mountains to the ocean. On dry land, it continued to travel miles and miles until it reached the five continents.
Let's start walking this long road...
From Lake Titicaca to the world
In the beginning, the potato was planted on the shores of Lake Titicaca . This lake is located 3,800 meters above sea level, in the Andes Mountains . It is the largest lake in South America and the highest navigable body of water in the world. Its waters are shared by Bolivia and Peru.
More than 8,000 years ago, the potato, as it is known in these countries, grew on the lake shores. The people who lived on the shores of the lake cultivated and consumed them both fresh and in “chuño” form.
Chuño is a method of preserving potatoes that is still used today. It consists of removing the water and leaving it in the cold of winter to dry. This way, it remains dehydrated until it is consumed again.
The Huari civilization , in present-day Peru, and then the inhabitants of Tiwanaku , near the present-day Bolivian city of La Paz, were the first to cultivate the potato around 500 AD. They developed cultivation techniques that allowed them to harvest large quantities of this tuber at more than 3,000 meters above sea level.
When both civilizations disappeared, it was the Incas who continued the legacy of the potato. They achieved great agricultural advances, managing to domesticate and cultivate 200 species of wild potatoes , as well as corn, beans and vegetables.
Then, the first Spaniards arrived on American soil and the potato began to travel. From the high Andes Mountains, it climbed onto ships bound for the European continent.
Once here, it reached the hands of different growers. Vicent is a farmer of our times, but he knows about the origin of the potato and this is how he tells it .
Vicent and the origin of the potato
Vicent digs his hand into the ground and pulls out a potato . With the other hand he cleans it and then looks at it. The sun shines in the clear sky and, for a few minutes, we will be lucky enough to hear what he has to say.
The potato, as our brothers in America say , our Hispanic brothers... That brotherhood that exists between peoples, that some forget, but when I have gone to the other side of the pond I have felt like I was at home, and I will never forget that...
Vicent looks at his hands as he holds the fruit of his effort…
Even more so now that we have a potato in our hands, thanks to the people from that side of the pond, we can have potatoes. The Spanish brought them from America and little by little we have been cultivating them. Now there are different varieties of potatoes, but the soul is from the peoples of America : Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and all the sister peoples…
The characteristics of the Peruvian potato that arrived by boat are incredible . Thanks to that, we have potatoes, tomatoes, and many other things that we brought back there. My thanks go to the people who went and especially to the people who were there and those who are still here, whom I consider to be brothers .
Through his words, Vicent records a significant fact about potatoes: they united the world, allowing their cultivation to become something global .
Now that we know that the potato came from faraway South America, we are ready for a new chapter: its arrival in Europe.
Trip through Europe
The potato arrived in Europe as a decorative element. It sounds strange, yes, but at first it was used as an ornament in the courts, as fertilizer for other crops and was even fed to livestock.
In 1560, the potato was seen as a decoration in the circles of well-nourished people. But in the lower classes, it was already being used for something else. Farmers , lacking other foods, began to eat the tuber .
That is why it was not held in high esteem at first… It was said to cause illness and was even associated with leprosy. But then the potato fell into the right hands and began its fantastic rise.
Parmentier and the potato
In 1756 the Seven Years' War begins. In the French ranks a man named Antoine Augustin de Parmentier is taken prisoner in Westphalia, Germany.
As the days went by, hunger began to strike Antoine , who was surprised to see how the farmers in the area were eating something they had extracted from the earth. It was then that he began to imitate them and learned not only the taste but also the nutritional benefits of potatoes.
The potato was his ally to avoid dying of hunger and, once he was released, he swore to popularize this food that had helped him survive. In addition to his military career, Parmentier was a pharmacist, agronomist, chemist and naturalist , so he had the tools to be able to investigate.
Antoine presented extensive research on the ability of potatoes to feed the population in the event of a famine . Years later, with a famine in the middle, he managed to obtain the land to plant them.
On those same lands, to popularize their consumption, he carried out an excellent marketing campaign : leaving the crops unattended at night so that people would “steal” the potatoes and eat them.
The rest is history, since after the work of the French, the potato was a must in the dishes of both peasants and courtiers in France.
The potato adventure did not stop. Through ambassadors travelling around the European continent, it reached different countries . It arrived to stay in places where -today- it has a great importance in the diet.
It arrived in Spain some time later, at the end of the 18th century . In fact, the potato omelette is considered a relatively new recipe, dating back to 1798.
But we'll have to leave history behind for a moment to start getting our hands dirty and learn, alongside Vicent, how potatoes are grown.
Potato farming with Vicent
On Spanish soil, 62,010 hectares are devoted to growing potatoes. In the case of Vicent , a fellow potato grower, his land is located in the Huerta de Valencia .
We went to Vicent's farm to talk to him and learn about potato farming. At Campos del Abuelo, we work to ensure that he and other farmers can sell their organic products directly from the field to the consumer without intermediaries.
The Huerta de Valencia, a green and historic region, is a breath of fresh air just a few kilometres from the city. The fields, the fresh air, the feeling that time has stopped… There, in his field, Vicent welcomes us . At 71 years old, he works the land with energy, but also with love.
He gives us a summary of how his place has changed over time:
I am in the Huerta de Valencia, in what remains of the Huerta de Valencia. It was twice as large as it is now . It is approximately 10 km long by 40 km wide… And today the city and the industrial estates, this paraphernalia that they have set up, well, they have removed more or less half of it.
Of this very fertile land, of which there is very little land in the whole peninsula with these characteristics, we are working on three hectares of what remains . A large part of this is devoted to vegetables and a little to animals.
Growing organically
Vicent has been an organic farmer for 41 years . He worked the land with his grandfather and father. He lived through the Green Revolution and realized that this was not the way to go, so he decided to farm like his ancestors did.
Standing in his potato field , he is part of the landscape. The tones of the sky and the earth accompany him in his words, as he begins to tell us the beginning of his story as a farmer.
I decided to do what our elders called traditional agriculture . We must not confuse the terms because traditional agriculture does not use any kind of poison or chemical fertilizers because there were none, they didn't have them back then. That's what I do, now they call it ecological, organic and all that.
We went through the Green Revolution, and conventional agriculture . I have to say that I spent about four or five years doing conventional agriculture, using poisons and chemical fertilizers until I was poisoned twice.
As a brief aside, the Green Revolution , which Vicent mentions, broke out in the 1960s. This is what a series of technological “advances” were called, which developed methods to have greater production in cultivated areas, using herbicides , chemical fertilizers and pesticides . But he knows more about what happens with this type of agriculture:
And I saw that things were not clear, I began to study and think about what my grandfather and the older people of the place told me about how they did things, so, between what I was studying and what I was understanding from what they explained to me, I was linking the practical part with the scientific part, which is also very important.
I decided that the way forward was a type of agriculture that did not poison the soil, I decided to do organic farming , this approximately 41 years ago.
With the premise of caring for the soil that provides food, he tells us about the crops in his fields:
We make all kinds of vegetables : chard, potatoes, onions, beets, vegetables of all kinds. It depends on the time of year , now we are finishing the spring vegetables, which are chard, spinach that is already finished, now we are already with cucumber, zucchini...
Regarding the products they harvest in their fields, Vicent says:
We make a product that, in my opinion, is of quality, it has no residues or poisons and the water used for irrigation is of quality. The fertilizer is green and animal manure, so when you try these vegetables you will have the say… You will tell me if all this is so or not. I offer you what I do of myself… This is what I do and I hope you receive it with love and much pleasure.
Before continuing on this path with Vicent, we will make a short stop to learn what the potato plant is like because, curiously, this traveler is characterized by having two systems in one.
What does a potato plant look like?
The plant that produces the potato is composed of an aerial system that includes its flowers, compound leaves, stems and fruits, and an underground system , composed of roots, stolons and tubers.
Its scientific name is Solanum Tuberosum and it belongs to the Solanaceae family of flowering plants, which includes tomatoes , peppers , chili peppers, eggplant and other delicious vegetables.
Air system
Its flowers have five petals , colors ranging from white to purple and are bisexual, containing both sexes .
The fruit they produce are the botanical seeds of the potato, although the same tuber can also be used as a seed .
The leaves are compound . This means that they have several leaves or blades that come out of a single stem or petiole. It is as simple as that simple leaves only have one leaf that grows from the stem, while compound leaves have several leaves that grow from the same stem. In the case of the potato plant, the leaves are compound.
In turn, the leaves are responsible for producing starch, which is then sent to the underground stems.
The stems originate from the buds or eyes of the mother tuber . We can see these buds on the potatoes we eat at home; they are just like little eyes on the skin of the potato, which are a little darker in color.
The stems originate from the buds or eyes of the mother tuber and there is a main stem and other secondary stems.
In this image from the International Potato Center , you can see the plant and its parts , including how the stems grow from the buds or eyes of the mother tuber.
Underground system
Inside the plant's underground system, we find its roots . It should be noted that they are not characterized by being very strong, so the soil must be in good condition.
Stolons are also part of the underground system . If they emerge from the ground, they will become secondary stems , and if they are below ground, they will form tubers , i.e. potatoes.
Potato tubers, that is, the potato itself, are a thickening of the stolon that is generated because the plant accumulates its reserves there.
That is why the potato contains so many nutrients: it is where all the food that the plant receives is located.
To better understand both systems, we recommend that you look closely at the image above. Now that we have a closer look at the plant, we can return to Vicent's field to learn how organic potatoes are grown .
This is how potatoes are grown
The sun continues to shine in the Huerta de Valencia and Vicent is ready to tell us about the process of growing this delicious tuber .
In the field, for example, this potato was planted in February, on February 10 or 12, and it was harvested recently, on May 18 or 20. This one here has a short cycle, there are others with a long cycle that stay in the ground for a month longer. From February 12 to May 20 is a short time, it grows quickly.
This potato is called Vivaldi - says Vicent, showing the one he has in his hand - it has a good taste, is suitable for frying, boiling, and is consistent and pleasant . You'll tell me when you try it...
When talking about the irrigation system, he tells us about the irrigation ditch method that they have in the area:
We irrigate by flooding , as we say, by irrigation by ditch . We are against drip irrigation, there is a lot of water in this place thanks to the investments that were made at the time to make a reservoir, to have a irrigation system. We do not want to destroy the riverside vegetation that is in the irrigation ditches , we do not want to depend on other places, on other nations.
We have a perfect irrigation system, the Water Tribunal is located here , it is a super democratic tribunal , because whether you have one hectare, half a hectare or ten, you will always be in turn, one follows the other. Whether you have a lot or a little, it is something democratic and something that if you make a mistake you pay for, you will immediately go to the Water Tribunal.
It is worth clarifying that the Water Tribunal of the Huerta de Valencia has been declared -nothing more and nothing less- Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Another important point is the type of organic farming that Vicent carries out on his fields. One of the methods that organic farmers use has to do with crop rotation. To explain this, he gives an example with potato cultivation:
You cannot plant potatoes every year, you have to respect crop rotation . For example, one of the pests that potatoes suffer from is the beetle. It belongs to the Solanaceae family.
If we plant any solanaceous plant - other than pepper, which does not attract the beetle - but if we plant eggplants, for example, it turns out that the beetle larvae remain in the soil and when you plant a solanace that is neither pepper nor tobacco, then the beetle will come and you will have a serious problem.
In this image you can see up close the Colorado potato beetle, scientifically known as Leptinotarsa decemlineata . It not only attacks potatoes but also almost all crops in the Solanaceae family. But Vicent knows how to combat this pest...
To avoid this, the elders taught us to rotate crops. One crop should not be repeated one year after another and another, but rather a period of time should be left so that the hosts in the soil have time to disappear. One crop should not be repeated one year after another and another.
We can do a Solanaceae, a Cucurbitaceae, Liliaceae, but not repeat one, one is because of the pests and because the soil will also suffer and will become increasingly unbalanced.
Nature does not allow that, to plant and plant. If you look at nature in its total freedom, you do not see just one thing, but in the forests and undergrowth there is a huge difference and biodiversity, so we have to copy all that in some way .
Another technique that Vicent uses is to use natural nutrients for cultivation:
When you add manure or compost , as they call it now, it has to have a time to decompose. It has to be a mixture of different types of green manure and it must be given time to incorporate into the soil. In this incorporation, if it is done too quickly… There are pathogens that will destroy if you plant something, so if we give it enough time, we must give it time…
Furthermore, different climates require different fertilization times . Vicent explains this through examples.
For example, here we would be talking about fertilizing and in three months we can already plant. For example, in America in the tropics, it is done in 15 days, it is fast because there is water, humidity and heat. If we are talking about central Europe, the matter would take longer…
Everything must be taken into account because if you plan the ground well, then you will have important results. If you do not put foundations on the house, when it goes up it falls, right? That is what is happening to many builders, they do not make good foundations, there is no good material, and then the houses burn down or fall down.
The same is true in the field. You have to have good foundations, you have to have a good structure so that you have as few problems as possible later. If we don't have soil that has good living conditions, that has good biodiversity, that the soil has everything, then when we plant something we are going to make mistakes. The way to not make mistakes or to make fewer mistakes is to have a good structure and a good approach.
If you want to learn about other organic farming techniques besides those that Vicent tells us about here, we recommend that you read this article on how organic products are grown .
The potato, the food of the world
From the Huerta de Valencia, we look back towards the Andes Mountains and from the top of the peaks, towards the rest of the world. The potato has been adopted by different countries as their own and is one of the most widely produced foods globally .
According to data from the International Potato Center (CIP), based in Peru, it is the third most important food crop in the world, after rice and wheat.
The figure for total world production is also incredible: it exceeds 370 million tonnes . Currently, the largest potato producers in the world are China, India and Russia. China, for example, is expected to produce 95.5 million tonnes by 2022.
According to CIP, potatoes can be grown from sea level to 4,700 meters above sea level, from southern Chile to Greenland , and are produced in more than 100 countries around the world.
There have been more than 7,000 varieties of potatoes throughout history . Some native and wild varieties have been left out of the fields because improved versions have been developed .
Most of the varieties cultivated today come not only from the shores of Lake Titicaca , but also from Chiloé Island in Chilean Patagonia .
In Spain , around 150 varieties of potatoes are currently grown , among which we can find: Rudolph, Soprano, Agria, Monalisa, Kennebec, Red Pontiac and Vivaldi, the variety that Vicent grows in his fields.
Of course, not all crops grown around the world are as respectful of nature and its processes as Vicent's. On this and the role of the farmer in society, we have an interesting conversation from farmer to farmer.
Being a farmer in today's world
We return to the field. On the fertile land of the Huerta de Valencia lies a box of potatoes. A little further on, standing next to Vicent, is Eduardo, a farmer from Campos del Abuelo. He speaks to Vicent as farmer to farmer:
Eduardo : Vicent is a pioneer, he has been practicing organic farming for 41 years when it was unknown here. From the Huerta de Valencia, the most productive orchard in the world, where three harvests are made per year.
We came here because we have just finished harvesting organic potatoes in this field. I tried them and was surprised by their flavour. What makes this potato taste like that?
Vicent : First of all, thank you for being here. So that you can hear this, I am going to speak from the heart, there are no tricks or lies here and you will be able to confirm this when you taste the products grown in the Huerta de Valencia…
They can also be raised in other places because all land, in my opinion, is sacred . If there is fertile land, clean water and professional farmers, we can provide citizens with high-quality products, because agricultural activity is not just practical , it involves the soul, the spirit and the feeling .
So, this cannot deserve to be deceived because if I were to deceive you, I would be the first to be deceived, right?
To make this type of potato, any vegetable or fruit, you have to have spirituality, have the knowledge and also the training, so that later when we give a product to people we can give something of ourselves , something from within us so that there is no deception.
This potato is made with the knowledge that life has given us and that our ancestors worked the land, cared for it, and pampered it so that we could have quality of life, health, love for things and value them.
The role of the farmer in society is fundamental. This is what Vicent tells us in his field…
Vicent: Nowadays, farmers are politically, economically and socially mistreated, we are poorly regarded and poorly paid. But there is something that is above all that, which is love for the land and love for others. To make this potato, that is what is needed .
That and the practice and knowledge of many years, making many mistakes…
Having lived through the Green Revolution and realising what a deception it all was , and returning to the ancestral practices of our ancestors and recognising the work they did on a daily basis.
They were people who, for the most part, could not read or write, but they had the knowledge and wisdom to be able to work the land with these premises, working hard and making many mistakes, but we managed to have a potato like this one…
I don't have to say whether it's good or bad, when they try it they'll say it . The best thing for me is that someone who tries it tells me: Vicent, that was true. That recognition is enough for me.
Eduardo : It gives me goosebumps because we are dealing with a person who really lives what agriculture is, who has received an inheritance. Will you be able to pass it on?
Vicent: My wife and I work on this with a guy who helps us. Our children are each in a different part of the world. My daughter works in the city, my partner's children are studying, so neither of them will continue.
But this is not because we do not want to continue, but because society is as it is, the economy is as it is, and the countryside is as it is. In such a way that, to be able to live and raise a family on the land, it is complicated.
From Campos del Abuelo we join Vicent's reflection, and we recommend reading this article in which there are some data on the differences between buying directly from a farmer , in fruit shops or from large supermarket chains.
In the meantime, let's continue this journey because we're going to talk about why potatoes are so great nutritionally.
Everything that potatoes provide
The potato reached different countries where it was adopted as its own. Its ability to adapt to different climates has made it a staple food in all homes around the world .
This tuber continues to add benefits because it is also a very generous plant in the amount it gives: From a single plant, well nourished and cared for, up to 20 potatoes can be obtained.
And, if all this were not enough, potatoes have a high nutritional value . Do we know what they provide?
Potatoes are an important source of carbohydrates , with starch being the main one. In turn, this type of starch it contains is slow to digest , which benefits the metabolism and contributes, for example, to exercise performance. It is, let's say, pure energy.
Source of quality vitamins. For example: in 200 grams of boiled potatoes, we provide our body with 20% of the vitamin B1 it needs, 14% of vitamin B3 and 24% of vitamin B6.
Contains minerals : selenium, fluoride, iron, zinc and potassium. The latter is very important as it helps in the storage of carbohydrates and their transformation into energy. In 200 grams of potatoes, we find 22% of the potassium that the body needs .
Iron , for its part, is linked to the absorption of another vitamin present in potatoes: vitamin C, which protects against cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
The truth is that the concentration of iron and zinc is relatively low, but its absorption is favored by the high levels of vitamin C in potatoes.
A key nutritional advantage of this tuber is that if we boil it with the peel, the benefits and contributions will increase . Especially, of course, if they come from fields that use traditional techniques, that take care of the land and use natural fertilizers.
Yellow-fleshed potatoes are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids associated with eye health. Purple-fleshed potatoes, on the other hand, contain anthocyanins , with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antioxidant properties.
It should be noted that although we love French fries, it is clear that their carbohydrate content cannot be compared to that of boiled potatoes. In 100 grams of boiled potatoes we have about 80 calories , while if we fry them, the caloric intake will be around 450.
But still… Don’t let anything stop you from going for that plate of chips. It’s not all about calories. You also have to take into account the happiness contribution!
The potato journey is not over
We undertook quite an adventure with the potato: from its birth in the distant Andes Mountains to its arrival in our lands. A journey in which it is clear that wherever the potato went it was adopted as our own .
And we understood why: not only does it adapt to different climates, but it is an easy plant to grow, generous, rich and very nutritious.
The potato is a citizen of the world . Not only has it travelled for years and years, but its varieties have also been transformed over time to adapt to different lands and palates.
In addition, we were able to be very close to its growth alongside Vicent and understand not only the importance of carrying out traditional agriculture , but also to learn about the techniques used.
We took advantage of the presence of two experienced farmers to see what it is like to be a farmer in today's world and even felt, along with Vicent, what true love for the land is.
At Campos Del Abuelo we are proud to be part of the potato journey, especially one grown with so much love, effort and in a way that is respectful of nature.
For now that's all with the potato, but I'm sure there will be more stories to tell in the future.
And remember that in our online seasonal fruit and vegetable store you can buy chemical-free potatoes and receive them at home in less than 24 hours.
Until next time and thanks for reading!
