the potato was first introduced to ireland in 1536.
the potato was first introduced to ireland in 1536.
when was the potato first introduced to ireland?
1536
the situation was very different for the poor, who made up 75 percent of the population of around nine million by 1840. potatoes formed the basis of many irish dishes and were eaten both by the anglo-irish gentry and the mass of the people. this was unusual as the potato was shunned in most of europe for centuries after its introduction, particularly by the elites. the potato was first introduced into ireland in the second half of the 16th century, initially as a garden crop. it eventually came to be the main food crop of the poor. as a food source, the potato is extremely valuable in terms of the amount of energy produced per unit area of crop. the potato is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin c when fresh. potatoes were widely cultivated, but in particular by those at a subsistence level. the diet of this group in this period consisted mainly of potatoes supplemented with buttermilk.
irish cuisine
pemberton is an important agricultural community famous for producing seed potatoes, and diversifying into market gardening including potatoes for eating and potatoes for making vodka, cranberries, food products and food/farm events. the main seed potato producers are located along the pemberton meadows road, many of whom have been there for generations. agri-tourism is a growing trend and popularized by slow food cycle sunday down pemberton meadows. 2014 was the 10th anniversary of the event. organic farming is also a growth area, initiated by across the creek organics, and the helmer farm followed soon after by many small csa/farmers market farms. the pemberton farmers institute is a body representing local agricultural affairs. pemberton is vital to the local food security of the sea to sky corridor, north america and the world at large. in its seed potato growing capacity pemberton is important continent-wide and the breeding work is important worldwide to global food security. whether you eat a baked potato at home or in a fast food restaurant as fries chances are high it was grown from a seed potato grown from a pemberton-grown seed potato first.
pemberton, british columbia