farm to table In June, the potato, farmed on 45,000 acres around Oregon, became the state vegetable.
Farm to Table
Hot Potato! Meet Oregon’s newly anointed state vegetable written by Julie Lee AT LEAST one kind of drought is over. Oregon went 164 years without claiming an official state vegetable, and in a near unanimous vote last June, with just a handful of abstentions peeling off in favor of the onion, the Oregon State Legislature designated the potato as the official state vegetable. Potatoes now join counterpart symbols: Oregon grape, the official state flower; pears, the official state fruit; and Dungeness crab, the official state crustacean. With more than 45,000 acres in Oregon dedicated to growing potatoes, they are the number one selling vegetable in the state. Potatoes are considered one of the original superfoods. Fiber-rich, full of antioxidants, gluten- and cholesterol-free, and low in sodium and fat, potatoes sit at the top throne of nutrition when it comes to vegetables. Providing far more potassium than bananas, potatoes can boost heart health, help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. The abundant fiber in potatoes also supports gut health. 32
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2024
