The potato—also known as Solanum tuberosum—is an herbaceous perennial that we grow as an annual. It can grow up to 40 inches tall and produces one to 20 tubers. It's also one of the most important and popular foods in the world.
At Black Gold Farms, growing potatoes is both an art and a science. We've developed and continually fine-tune a process designed to maximize both yield and quality. Learn more about what we do to grow a superior potato.
- First cultivated in South America between three and seven thousand years ago, scientists believe potatoes may have grown in the wild as long as 13,000 years ago.
- There are thousands of varieties of potatoes cultivated worldwide today, and they differ greatly in size, shape, color, texture and taste.
- Potatoes are carbohydrate-rich, low in fat and high in protein when compared to other roots and tubers.
- Potatoes have the ability to produce more nutritious food faster, on less land, than any other food crop and in almost any habitat.
- The potato is the second most consumed food in the United States. Americans eat an average 135 lbs of potatoes each year, equal to one potato per day average (National Potato Council).
- The United States is fourth largest potato producer in the world.