Did you know that the name potatoes come from the Spanish word patata? If you didn’t, now you do!

Potatoes are one of the most common vegetables, and the most important crop in the world. They are part of the nightshade family. Potatoes are tubers, which is a swollen part of a stem that provides nutrients for the leafy part of the Solanum tubersomum plant. That plant is where potatoes come from. You can make a lot of different things from potatoes. Some of Dylan’s favorites are potato soup (he thinks his grandma’s is the best), mashed potatoes, french fries, and chips.

Potatoes were first cultivated in South America sometime between 5,000 and 7,000 BC, in the area that is now southern Peru and northwest Bolivia. They ended up being brought back to Europe in the sixteenth century. The first people to bring them to North America was the Scotch-Irish immigrants, who introduced them in 1719.

So, think about that for a second, potatoes were discovered somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 BC but weren’t brought to North America until 1719! After the immigrants introduced potatoes, they quickly spread across the rest of the continent. Today, potatoes are grown in all 50 states in the U.S. with the largest producing state being Idaho (obviously).

Potatoes can also help your health. Potatoes contain all different kinds of vitamins, but the one that sticks out to me is vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps neurological functions. It helps relieve depression and stress and may even have a positive impact on ADHD. Potatoes help maintain blood pressure and overall health, helps keep skin healthy, and reduces cancer risk

–          I was born on October 27, 1858 in New York City
–          I was a lifelong conservationist, historian, politician and author
–          I was Assistant Secretary of the Navy until resigning to lead the Rough Riders into Cuba
–          I was elected governor of New York in 1898
–          I ran on the McKinley ticket in 1900 and was elected vice-president
–          I became President when McKinley was assassinated and served two terms
–          I came out of retirement and ran for a third term in 1912 but lost
–          My face is on Mount Rushmore
–          I died in 1919 at the age of 60
 
WHO AM I? The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. Congratulations to Lydia from Mount Vernon, who guessed correctly and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Dylan