WEBLINKS
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FACTS
| Potato Facts
The white potato is from the same plant family as tobacco, tomatoes, chilli peppers and aubergine.
The Irish reliance on Lumper potatoes contributed to the famine. When just one variety is farmed, it increases the risk of disease and that is why keeping as many typse alive as possible is so important.
Amricans eat more frozen potatoes then they do fresh. Of the average 142.7 by each American each year, 58.9 are frozen.
A potato is around 80% water.
Spuds are believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac.
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 |  | HDRA, the organic organisation, is hoping thousands of visitors will drop into its HQ at Ryton Organic Gardens and pay homage to the humble spud for National Potato Day, today, 2 February.
This year sees the tenth anniversary of the event and to celebrate, HRDA will be offering gardeners the chance to keep the rarer varieties of potato alive by growing their own.
Although there will be a party atmosphere at Ryton, there is a serious side to the day. HDRA is hoping that by highlighting the spud, it will keep different varieties alive for future generations.
听| 听 |  | A youngster enjoys some potato printing
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For the green-fingered - and the hopeful - there's a chance to keep the very rare alive by buying microplants and planting them at home. The Microplants the centre will have on sale feature 20 types of the rarest potatoes and they are not available anywhere ese.
Among those on sale are Lumpers - the principal spud grown in Ireland during the potato famine, Magnum Bonum and Champion.
Also on sale are 100 rare, unusual and interesting potato varieties, available in tubers and tub-growing spuds, which will be ready in time for Easter.
听If you want to have a try before you buy from the charity, which aims to encourage the nation and the world to grow and eat organic rather than use pesticides, tastings of some variety's will be held and a potato-themed menu will be available in the restaurant.
HDRA's executive director - and creator of potato day - Jackie Gear - said she hoped this year's event would be the best yet.
"Over the last nine years we have welcomed almost 20,000 visitors. What's more, we've done all our own catering and each and every dish has been freshly made from fine organic ingredients. To celebrate our 10th birthday, our chef Mike Dawson will be baking a potato birthday cake," she said.
听| 听 |  | Tucking in to a potato dish last year
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As well as being the headquarters of the HDRA, Ryton Gardens is - as it sounds - a haven for gardeners and those interested in gardens.
The ten-acres of grounds have been split into 32 individual gardens which showcase what can be achieved by working with nature and sticking only to organic production.
Among them are a rose garden, All Muck and Magic TV garden, shrub borders, a no-dig garden, an RSPB wildlife garden, a cook's garden and a special needs area.
There's also a chance to get started in organic gardening by buying plants and seeds as well as getting advice on how to get by without pesticides.
And, if you're not very green-fingered, you can always buy fruit and veg and organic wine from the shop.
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