“Give peace a chance...”
outside of Bonhoga, Shetland
Let’s give potatoes a chance…
perhaps the potato is a symbol of peace.
“Rules” for today…
if you find yourself saying “but” as it pertains to the potato, you have to say “butter.”
The potato… the simple potato, deceptively simple, so simple most believe it’s devoid of nutrients.
How many times have you heard the potato is bad for you? It’s a starchy vegetable and stay away!!!!
Did you know that civilization would not be where we are today without the potato?
People have survived long winters thanks to the potato…
Endured wars due to the potatoes growing under the soil unbeknownst to the travelling armies pillaging for food…
Allowed populations to grow due to the presence of food.
One summer, after a particularly traumatic life-event, a friend helped me plant a garden. I knew nothing about gardening and with previous failed attempts at growing zucchini, I was not sure I needed one more responsibility to tend. She persisted… and we planted potatoes.
Buried the little eyes deep in the mound of dirt and let them be. I was skeptical. How could one plant a small piece of a potato and yield another potato? And to my surprise… the little old piece of potato didn’t grow into a new potato… it gave new life into many new potatoes. When I returned a couple months later, you can imagine how surprised I was to find 100’s of potatoes… growing hidden underground all summer long.
One small potato… magnifies.
One small act of peace… endless possibilities.
The potato is actually one of the most nutrient dense foods in all the land. In particular, it is the best source of potassium of all the vegetables. Now, we happen to know that a diet rich in potassium is associated with lower blood pressure and this is good for the heart.
One small potato… good for the heart.
Many of you have commented over the past 18 days… “peace is in the heart.”
The potato is an economical source of food…. peace need not be expensive.
Here’s the only “but” I will allow us to explore… but what about the Irish Potato Famine.
I’ve spent a lot of time contemplating and reading about the great famine. I’ve no Irish background, only a strong draw to learn more about Ireland. Perhaps it’s in the name… Ire-land, is really Eireland, and derivatives of “eire” mean peace. So, the island itself is actually the land of peace.
I digress… the potato and how it symbolizes peace is the topic for today. While I have several thoughts about the potato famine, the one that is most appropriate for today pertains to monocropping (and again this is layered with reasons)*. Potatoes were the main and for many, the only source of food and if fortunate to have a cow, milk was the other source. So, when the potato crops were destroyed by blight year after year, no other food source was available.
The path to peace is a network… not one single route. All roads are interconnected.
Relying solely on the potato (or eating a lot of potatoes) might not be the path to peace.
The potato and peace…
we have to dig deep to find them,
one small act grows to nourish others,
good for the heart,
inexpensive,
and multiple, interconnected roads can lead to peace.
Aah, the potato.
*Added on 12/19: To learn more about the causes of the Irish Potato Famine, Cecil Woodham Smith's "The Great Hunger" is a good resource to learn about the disaster that reduced the population from nearly nine million in 1845 to six and a half million in 1851.
Peace tip #18
Food is peace… for self, others, and the land. It can nourish our own body, connect us with others, and grown responsibly, it can honor the land.
Potatoes have been grown and used in almost all cultures around the world. How has the potato connected you to others? Do you have a family recipe or tradition that uses potatoes? Let’s see how many ways the potato has connected all of us.
Have fun with this one.
And if you are ever in Idaho… check out the Potato Museum!
