POTATOES .... POTATOES ... AND MORE POTATOES ...

Yukon Golds to be precise.
I can barely contain myself, I am beyond excited about my first ever potato harvest. The 4 seed potatoes that I planted late March/early April, and lovingly tendered, had reached maturity. Their leaves had shriveled up and died, and they were ready to be harvested. I was apprehensive ..... very apprehensive .....
I'll warn you at this point, there are LOTS of potato photos .....
Girl Child was my photographer ..... I think for a moment, she may have feared that her Mama had gone mad, because I was so excited !!!

 The first potato out of the ground. I think at this point, I may have let out a rather excited squeal !!!

 Slowly my bucket was filling up  ...... this was after 2 potato plants had been dug up.

 It really is like a treasure hunt !!! I started out using my little hand shovel, but I was scared I'd damage the potatoes, so hands it was. Reaching down into the soil, and feeling that potato lump .... such an awesome feeling. I wore gloves, because I really don't like soil under my nails ...... I know that sounds really girly, but it's just something that makes my toes curl !!!!

 I love this picture ...... how you can still see the plant from which it came , and the depth at which they grew ...... it looks like one of those sectional diagrams (like the ones in science textbooks, that show the layers of the earth)!!!

 A clump of them all growing close together.

 The final harvest ...... It amazes me, that I planted 4 small (and they really were small) seed potatoes into the ground, and this is what we got from them :-) There may be more still in the ground - I didn't want to dig to vigorously, and disturb my tomato plants, as they are HEAVY with tomatoes at the moment ...... they're producing at a furious rate. I haven't had to buy tomatoes in over a month now. There is definately a difference in the taste .... my 100% homegrown, organic tomatoes, are so deliciously sweet, compared to the store bought ones.
I will do another going over of the soil, once the tomato plants have finished producing at the end of the season.

 Look at those beauties ..... I may just have to get a basket and make a pretty lining for it ..... I'll call it my harvest basket ...... tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, basil, mint ....
OK, perhaps a special gardening apron too ..... you see, I can turn anything into a crafting opportunity :-)

Our potato barrels, are a way off harvesting yet ..... they should be ready once I get back from my trip home. I am very excited to see what they produce.

Off to search Pinterest, for some deliciously different potato recipes.