07/31/06 Spuds galore at farm show

When the farm show opens near Wilder on August 24th thousands of visitors are expected. Some will come from Boise where they attended the Sixth Annual World Potato Congress. When they hit the fields they'll see 75 acres of Shedody potatoes being harvested. The University of Idaho's Mike Thornton says there are four plots of potatoes, some with 30 different varieties in them, many grown only in Europe. Different sizes, shapes and colors, potatoes that may be familiar to our international visitors will be new to most Idahoans. THORNTON "But there's also increasing interest in specialty potato varieties here and so there's a lot more of them showing up in the supermarkets and so this would be an opportunity for more local growers to see would this be a market that I ought to consider getting into to diversify." Thornton and others preparing the farm show have equipment demonstrations planned, the latest on technology, potato and corn harvests, hay mowing and bailing, and irrigation techniques. THORNTON "That's why we're working so hard down here is to put our best foot forward so people from all over the world will come and see what a great industry we have here and what terrific potatoes we grow." World Potato Congress in Boise August 20th with the Farm Show to follow near Wilder August 24th through the 26th. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott