Spruiking spuds

WHILE the chips may be down in Thorpdale with a decline in grower numbers and demand for local product, a band of local potato farmers is working hard to put their spuds back on the map.
Long time Thorpdale farmer Les Horsfield wants to put South Gippsland potatoes back on the table and is most passionate about trying to get a campaign to promote local spuds launched.
Historically Thorpdale has been one of the nation’s great potato production regions, with some 110 growers at one time in the Thorpdale and Mirboo North area.
However Mr Horsfield said that number has been depleted to only 30 growers nowadays and potato farming has seen a huge decrease since the hey days 1960s when there were some 20,000 growers in Australia.
Mr Horsfield said the number of growers in Australia now would not exceed 1500.
Other Thorpdale farmers are working hard to promote their product and were thrilled some 100,000 people attended the relaunch of the Thorpdale Potato Festival this year.
Organisers saw the festival as a way of keeping the potato industry in Thorpdale alive, especially with the demand for brushed potatoes, and the traditional Thorpdale variety decreasing due to the rise of washed potatoes from South Australia.
Thorpdale’s potato industry is based on red soil brushed potatoes that are claimed to have greater nutritional value than washed varieties.
Local growers say the product has a longer shelf life because soil on the potatoes prevents them going green.
Organisers hope the success of the festival will help re-build Thorpdale’s brand as a quality potato producing region.
Mr Horsfield said, “Farmers are still growing potatoes but the problem is the wrong varieties are being grown.
“A lot of farmers have been growing the Nardine and Valor varieties, quick growers and big croppers but not much solid and all water.
“Consequently no one wants these potatoes and a lot of local farmers have just had to leave their crops in the ground.”
Mr Horsfield started farming in 1942 and at one time used to load 25 semi-trailer loads, around 600 tonnes per day for sale around the country, and mainly to Colvans for chipping, until that market dried up.
He maintains there is a market for quality potatoes and his Desiree, Pontiacs, Serbago, Dutch Cream and Kennebec varities he grows are still in demand.
Mr Horsfield would like to see the potato industry thriving again in South Gippsland and said for there to be a future we have to convince people of the health value of potatoes.
“We should be eating more potatoes,” Mr Horsfield said.
He would like to see a major campaign, like the lamb promotion to educate people of the benefits of eating potatoes.
“Potatoes are a source of multiple minerals, rich in vitamin C, way ahead of oranges,” Mr Horsfield said.
Very much a comfort food, potatoes are a popular food source, but unfortunately most people eat potatoes in the form of greasy French fries or potato chips.
Even baked potatoes are typically loaded down with fats but take away the extra fat and deep frying, and a baked potato is an exceptionally healthy low calorie, high fibre food.
Potatoes have been found to be a good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fibre, and pantothenic acid.
A proud South Gippslander, Mr Horsfield has volunteered countless hours to the community and is a life member of the local CFA.
He would like to see a big campaign to South Gippsland spuds and for the moment he is doing his bit, growing delicious healthy potatoes, selling to Queensland and local farmers markets.

Hot potato: Thordale potato farmer Les Horsfield wants to see a major campaign launched to promote local South Gippsland potatoes and to give the Thorpdale potato industry a much needed boost.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Apr 28 2015. Filed under Rural News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry