Along the banks of the Snake River in Idaho, rows upon rows of broad green leaves soak in the warm summer sun, nourishing the potatoes below. The region’s sandy volcanic soil is rich in trace minerals, while mountain streams supply clear water to irrigation reservoirs that keep the potatoes perfectly hydrated – all in all, the Snake River Valley is a slice of potato heaven.
Sweet potato products from this region are made from sweet potatoes grown in the San Joaquin Valley area of California and the Southern Mississippi River Basin.
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In Greg's part of Idaho's Magic Valley, the Yellowstone mountain snow runoff that hydrates his potatoes also supports thriving trout farms. He does all he can to keep the ecosystem strong. "We want our farmland to be sustainable for future generations. We aren't mining the soils or leaving them barren. We aren't pumping out a commodity – we're growing food and we take a lot of pride in what we do."
Get Nick talking about his farms and you'll learn a lot about the quality of the soil – rich, volcanic ash – and how important the Snake River is to the farms. "We're in a high elevation desert plain, so our water sources are the lifeblood of this valley," says Nick. He's happiest out in the fields, digging up the earth and getting his hands dirty. "Once you start farming, you learn it's more than a job, it's a way of life – it'd take quite a lot of money to get you out of it."
Pounds of potatoes grown annually in the Snake River Valley
Average weight of a potato
Number of potatoes grown
Idaho population
If everyone in Idaho were to eat all the potatoes grown in-state, every Idahoan would eat 14 potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day, year-round!
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The Journey Starts Here*"Emerging Faith in Food Production," Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, 2014
