potato farmer am i.
October 18, 2007
“Do anything. Work in a potato field…but if you do work in a field, do not fail to observe the look and feel of earth and all things you handle–yes, even potatoes!”
–Ben Shahn
I always giggled at the line about working in a potato field, but now I’m livin’ it! I just dug up about 30 of the 100 fingerlene potato plants in our garden which yielded a krazy amount of 5-30 potatoes per plant! Being a first-time potato farmer, I was shocked! It is a beautiful day today–the mountain tops are covered with white! We got our first snow yesterday (only up high) and although it was frigid last nite, it was sunny and tshirt weather today. Harvesting the potatoes has been the most fun of all the veggies cause you get to kneel in the dirt and dig thru the soil with your fingers. It’s addicting too, because the more you dig around, the more potatoes you find, and you don’t want to stop digging because you don’t want to leave any behind. They are goofy looking and feel so good to hold in your hand. I think everyone should experience growing and harvesting potatoes at least once in their lifetime!
The passage above is from The Shape of Content by Ben Shahn and is one of my favorite books, or maybe I should say Ben Shahn is one of my favorite artists–ever since highschool. My friend Kevin gave me this copy years ago, and I’ve read this particular passage “The Education of an Artist” over an over–click on the image to read it. It inspires me to keep playing and experimenting and traveling and having new experiences and growing as an artist and making those fun, in-my-life-i-want-to… kinds of lists. Here’s one of my lists I keep adding to when I come across it. What’s something on your fun life list?
11 Responses to “potato farmer am i.”
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© 2010 jenny sue kostecki-shaw · coloredsock@mac.com · 575 586 1726
HELLO
October 21st, 2007 at 6:16 am
I love your lions too! And thanks for that excerpt from Shahn’s book…. invigorating!
October 21st, 2007 at 6:59 am
Cool. I don’t think potatoes will grow in the desert – do you? Maybe I just have to wait until we move, again. Thanks for another book recommendation!
October 21st, 2007 at 11:09 am
I’m so glad you shared this Potato Praise! I helped my family dig up their potato harvest last year, and it was more fun than I could have imagined!
I love your list, too~ especially the organic growishness of it. Thanks for giving us a peek!
October 22nd, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Jenny, I was just looking around your blog, and it’s so inspiring! I love the Juggler extraordinaire, and all the sketchbook entries! Awesome ideas!
October 22nd, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Jeez Jen, every time I look at your blog you’ve done a million cool new things, printing, traveling, digging (ha) around for new ideas. It was great to read the Shahn lesson! Thanks for the inspiration.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:15 am
OK, so I saw ‘west coast road trip’ on there…Don’t forget us little people and little donkeys…I love Ben S. too, and am envious of your portatos. We didn’t have energy to find the right spot this year – away from Frankie, but love those fingerlins. We have so many buttternuts. Wish we could trade. xoxo
October 24th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Hello! I read a lot of your rescent posts. Jenny, the way you live life is beyond inspiring. I can’t tell you how uplifting it was to read your blog. Senior year was getting me in the dumps, fears of where I am going and all kinds of stuff. Reading your blurbs truly made me feel better about everything. You appreciate things in life so richly, I love it. So, thank you, for inspiring the hell out of me, and making me look foward to the awesome things that life has to offer.
October 24th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Always so inspiring.I was about to turn the page …what after graduate!!!
We too had potatoes two years back and we just had about 5 kgs and not as good as yours.Ah! you have so000 many .They are expensive here,can you send me some?Ha ha.
And your list was awesome.Do share some of your experiences from Japan (that is where i would like to travel someday).
And oh ,good to see your kids book,is that the cover page .I am eager to get one .
keep inspiring dear
Love you.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:17 am
hey friends! i’ve really enjoyed everyone’s comments. it’s a nice break coming in from the harvest! hehe. karine, it could be possible! i’ve read about growing potatoes in mulch alone… Really, though, you should all try. next year–we’re growing PURPLE potatoes! i can’t wait. they are SO beautiful and purple!
i’m happy y’all liked Ben’s passage. boy, he’s a rock star. he’s my hero—he REALLY set no limits on himself—he was a pure artist respected in ALL fields of art.. he illustrated, drew, painted. he’s in museums AND publications. ahhhh…did i mention he’s my hero?
and yes, K—you are SO on our map! and Surya, i think the Nepali police would steal our potatoes for themselves if i sent them! but you are coming soon (in’shallah’) and YOU can help us harvest next year! haha!
and swatts! i’m so happy to hear from you. girl, YOU got the energy zippo for life! you inspire me. art school is just that way. i didn’t feel free (in art/life) til AFTER graduation…i met this amazing artist meg cundiff (from HK) who made the skies her limit to her creativity. she is such a nut and her art is sooooo fun. i remember thinking, ‘oh, girl (me), let go!’
it will be fun watching you and Matt and all you IA folk grow. like i said, Y’all are so inspiring to me! speaking of which…i’ll be there this summer, at some point!
October 26th, 2007 at 11:28 am
I heart you, Jenny. I am mega-inspired by this post!
xo, p-lope
November 7th, 2007 at 1:38 am
that is such a sweet list and much more fun to work with. At my 36th birthday (two years ago) I made a list of 36 things I want to do to, but I learned that I rather tend to avoid looking at it than “working” with it…..