a question about potatoes

Just off Harmony Road on the 1/4 Line, there are several fields of potatoes. A couple weeks ago, they were in full bloom as far as your eye could see...purple and white blossoms and full green foliage.

This week, the entire field is rust brown...all the leaves are dry and the plants are shrivelled. It looks like a fire has passed over the fields....except that the plants are reddish brown, not black.

Are they using some chemical to kill the top foliage in order to harvest them more easily? And not get the leaves etc all tangled up in the potato picker?
It used to be people left the tops to dry off on their own before digging the potatoes. Is this something new to speed up the harvest?

Well, guess what? I found it myself! (Just talking to MYSELF here!)

DEFOLIATION and DESICCATION used in cotton and potato crops!
(Great! Lets add more chemicals to our foods!)

"A method that aids in harvesting crops by application to the crop of a certain compound prior to harvest causes crop defoliation or vine dessication.

This method aids in harvesting crops, particularly cotton or potatoes, by application of an alkyl 2-(5-ethyl-2-(4-(1-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2,4-(1H, 3H)-pyrimidinedion-3-yl)phenoxymethyl)phenoxy)propionate.

Potatoes on dessicated/dried vines are easier to harvest than those on living vines. In addition, potatoes on the killed vines are less likely to skin and bruise during harvesting. Where skinning occurs, the skinned areas of a potato are susceptible to discoloration and soft rot infection. Furthermore, skinned potatoes lose weight more rapidly and appear untidy. (So it's all for appearance....because we like our veggies to look perfect!)

Compounds that are commonly used for potato vine desiccation are 1,1'-ethylene-2,2'-bipyridyldiylium ion as the dibromide monohydrate salt, also known as diquat, (+/-)-2-amino4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)butanoic acid, also known as glufosinate, and 1,1'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyldiylium ion as the dichloride salt, also known as paraquat.

Thus, there is a continuing demand for new substances that promote crop defoliation or vine desiccation at low use rates and in a safe manner. "

So there ya go!

a few years ago, I spoke to a vendor at the Simcoe Market who attends both the local market and markets in urban areas. This person told me that customers here in Norfolk are more fussy about the appearance of their produce than the city folk who attend farmers' markets there. The farmer will grow according to what sells, so, YES, the magazine-perfect veggie is the goal.

I think that if enough consumers don't mind a few blemishes on their fruit, or the odd worm, then the growers will produce food that uses less chemicals.

It really is up to all of us - the farmers are just giving us what we demand . . .

I think the farm to which you are referring belongs to Janet and Mike Smith. She's a former Norfolk elementary teacher cking. Lovely lady and very helpful. Perhaps you could call her if you wish more information.