Tulelake Potatoes

potato on ground awaits harvest in tulelake, CA.  photo by anders tomlinson.
Where would we be without food and where would food be without water?
An acquaintance of Anders emailed, in the late 2000’s, that a Chilean potato shed office computer’s screen-saver displayed a anderstomlinson.com/tule-lake/ Tulelake potato harvest image. It is indeed a small world and potatoes have become an integral part of the global food supply. It is the world’s fourth-largest food crop, following maize, wheat and rice.

Potato seed being planted into Tule Lake Basin soil.  tulelake, ca.  photos by anders tomlinson
It All Begins With Potato Seeds Into The Ground

Potato field photos from a single palant to potatoes ready to be picked up.  Tule Lake Basin potatoes, tulelake, ca.  photos by anders tomlinson.
Water, Sun and Healthy Soil Helps A Potato Grow

composite of four  tule lake basin potato harvest photos.  tulelake, ca. photos by anders tomlinson
From the Ground Into Potato Trucks

a farm worker uses hand signs to help a potato truck backing up to a tule lake basin potato shed. tulelake, ca. photos by anders tomlinson.
A Potato Truck Backups to a Potato Shed

Conveors take the potatoes from the truck through multiple quality control checks on their way to a potato shed for storage.  Tule Lake Basin, tulelake ca,  photos by anders tomlinson.
Potatoes Travel Along Conveyors – Quality Control Is Job One.

potato enter a potato storage shed via a conveyor.  the shed fills up.  tule lake basin, tuelake, ca.  photos by anders tomlinson.
A Time to Travel, A Time For Storage

Potato packing shed, Ca-Ore, in tulelake, Ca.  Photos by anders tomlinson.re
Potatoes Arrive At The Packing Shed When Market Demands Dictate

Potatoes are put in boxes and bags.  potato packing shed, tulelake, Ca.  photos by anders tomlinson.nd
Out The Door in Boxes and Bags to Stores and Dinner Tables

Visit Lewie Baker’s Potato Memories

other tule lake basin crops icon

potato icon - tulelake california.  photo by anders tomlinson
Tulelake Potatoes
Tule Lake Basin potatoes are famous around the world. An acquaintance of Anders emailed, in the late 2000’s, that a Chilean potato shed office computer’s screen-saver displayed a anderstomlinson.com/tule-lake/ Tulelake potato harvest image. It is indeed a small world and potatoes have become an integral part of the global food supply. It is the world’s fourth-largest food crop, following maize, wheat and rice.

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grain icon.  tulelake california.  photo anders tomlinson
Tulelake Grain
Grain is cut by the header and kernels are separated and up to 5 tons stored in the combine. Chaff is sent flying out the back. These harvest photos are from the 2005. On average a grain crop may take four months from planting to harvest.
Tulelake wheat and barley have the best yield per acre in the western United States.

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mint icon tulelake california.  photo by anders tomlinson
Tulelake Mint
The Tule Lake Basin is one of two places in California where peppermint is grown. Tulelake Peppermint is well known for its consistent flavor and excellent quality. Warm days, cool nights, rich volcanic soil and talented farmers all factor into the production quality.

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alfalfa icon, tulelake california.  photo by anders tomlinson
Tulelake Alfalfa
Tule Lake Basin alfalfa is known for its excellent nutritional value. There are over 60,000 acres of hay, alfalfa and grass varieties, in the Upper Klamath Basin. Haying, on average, takes place from June 1 through Oct. 15. Of course, harvest timing is is related to weather conditions throughout the season.

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onion icon, tulelake california.  photo by anders tomlinson
Tulelake Onions
The last crop to be harvested in the Tule Lake Basin is usually onions. As late as mid-November trucks with Tulelake onions can be a daily parade down Hwy. 97 to Hwy. 5 south. Drivers take their trailers to Sacramento. There, drivers coming from Gilroy trade trailers and take the onions south for processing.

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horseradish icon, tulelake california, photo by anders tomlinson
Tulelake Horseradish
Tulelake is known as the “Horseradish Capital of the World” and accounts for a third or more of the nation’s production. Some local fields have been in continuous horseradish production for 25 years. Horseradish has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years.

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©2014 Anders Tomlinson, all rights reserved.

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