Students to dig in on Great Potato Harvest

Rainshadow Organics and students from the Sisters High School Sustainable Agriculture and IEE (Interdisciplinary Environmental Education) classes are teaming up to get locally grown organic food into the Central Oregon community.

This year represents Rainshadow Organics' 4th Annual Great Potato Harvest. In the past, community members have been able to come to their farm and help harvest the potatoes; this year it's being run a bit differently. Sisters High School students in the agriculture class and IEE program will go on a farm tour led by Seed to Table coordinator and sustainable agriculture teacher Audrey Tehan, participate in farm-based science activities, and learn what it means to be a farmer by helping harvest the potatoes.

Rainshadow will then donate close to 20 tons of potatoes to be used as a fundraiser for the IEE program at Sisters High School.

The IEE program helps students get first-hand experience in project-based learning for several disciplines including science, language arts and physical education. The course is composed of a community of learners working together to gain a balanced, in-depth understanding of the world around them.

"One of the goals of IEE is for students to gain a sense of place and a sense of community," said Samra Spear, one of the three IEE teachers.

"(Through IEE) students are given the necessary tools to create positive change within their community," said Rand Runco, another teacher on the IEE team. "We have taken a number of field trips to Rainshadow Organics over the last seven years. Developing community partnerships like this results in a shared vision of stewardship and a sense of appreciation for and responsibility to the world around us."

The potatoes the students will harvest will then be packed into 50-pound boxes and sold to raise funds for clothing and gear for the program. Community members can purchase 50-pound boxes of organic potatoes for $50 (that's $1 a pound) on Friday, October 28, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. in the Sisters High School parking lot.

"We have so many potatoes we are asking 800 families to swing into action and buy a 50-pound box of potatoes at a wholesale price of $50," said Sarahlee Lawrence from Rainshadow Organics. "If students sell all the potatoes, IEE could get upwards $20,000 for their program."

The potatoes that will be for sale are two different heirloom, organic varieties. The Viking Purple potato is a purple-skinned, white-fleshed potato that is particularly outstanding as a masher with incredible fluffiness. They hold together great in soups and stews. They roast, bake, and boil splendidly. Their skins hold their color and are full of nutrients. Desiree potatoes - the number one gourmet potato in Europe - has a light-red skin and yellow flesh, it has a distinctive flavor and is a versatile, fairly waxy variety which is firm and holds its shape, and is useful for all methods of cooking, from roasting to mashing and salads.

"Potatoes are a sustainable option for a staple in Central Oregon," said Lawrence. "It is important to remember that conventional potatoes are cheap, but they are part of the 'dirty dozen': the top twelve conventional fruits and vegetables to avoid in terms of chemical residue. Rainshadow and IEE are proud to make these organic potatoes available to the community."

Potatoes are hardy and should keep in a cool, dry place without freezing for several months.

"A family can quickly go through a 50-pound box by Christmas," said Tehan. "Thanksgiving mashed potatoes and Christmas roasters will be the best-tasting yet!"

If community members are still worried they won't be able to go through 50 pounds of potatoes, boxes are easy to share. Event coordinators are encouraging people to build community through this project - to find a friend, neighbor, or colleague and share a box with them.

Event-goers can also purchase a box of potatoes and donate them to local food banks. Boxes of potatoes that are purchased and donated on the day of the sale will be delivered to NeighborImpact by Rainshadow Organics.

Coffee, provided by Sisters Coffee Company, will be available at the sale and live music from Benji Nagel and friends will help to make the event festive.

"Load up your car, give them as gifts or donate them to your church or local food bank," said Lawrence. "Storage is our biggest challenge, so we are hoping to have one big 'potato-sale day' and everyone can take them home and enjoy!"