Digging Potatoes

Potatoes were one of very last crops of the season. In Pennsylvania, it is time to dig them now!! We used what would be considered an antique piece of equipment. It could be pulled by either horses or a tractor. The blade in the front slid into the ground just below the potato crop, unearthing them from where they went up a chain like shaker to remove the soil from the potato. They then dropped out the back and we kids with our baskets or buckets followed along picking up the harvest. By now, the weather was cool, often a frost had already hit the area, and it was a more fun job than some of the other chores we had to do. Perhaps it was because we all liked and ate a lot of potatoes  -  crispy fried in lard, boiled, mashed and baked. If you have a question or would like to hear more, my email is: tomdeimler@me.com