Potato harvest is in and the results are positive

IDAHO FALLS- Idaho (KIFI) - Even with our hot, dry and smoky summer, the potatoes are in the cellar, and the harvest looks good.

It was a high bar to meet following last year's very strong growing year, but it is still positive.

“We were real pleased with the quality that we had," Idaho Falls area potato grower Brian Reed said. "The crop all was harvested in good shape. It went into storage good. Quality is good. Size profile is going to be very marketable."

But he did add his yield is down.

University of Idaho extension educator Ron Patterson estimates this year's crop is down about 20% from the really strong previous year, but most farmers had their timing just right.

"This year the farmers were good," Patterson said. "They had a good harvest. They were able to get the potatoes in and not get caught bad. A couple of years ago the rains came in the fall They couldn’t get out in the fields then a lot of the potatoes ended up being frozen in the ground.”

You can look for these potatoes in stores about the start of summer.