Burbank Potato

By Kieran

 Phoenix of the disastrous Irish Potato Famine


 
Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by today's potato harvest and the legacy of Luther Burbank, a truly remarkable pioneer of selective crossbreeding that started as the proverbial phoenix that rose from the ashes of the Irish Potato Famine and quickly progressed to produce delicious flowers, fruits and vegetables we all take for granted



Luther Burbank was an incorrigible botanist who was determined to change forever
The way food crops were grown - using selective crossbreeding, which was clever!

Having seen how potato blight devastate Ireland ‘n trigger the great Irish famine
He intuitively knew that biodiversity was the key something worth a close examine

Seeing some potato developing flowers and seed balls, he was able to crossbreed
Before long he developed the Burbank potato'twas  large, long and vigorous indeed

In 1874, he sold the rights for just $150, enough to fund his move out west 
Here he obsessively crossbred stone fruit, flowers, vegetables and all the rest

His Russet Burbank potato is now ubiquitous once McDonald's used it to make French fries
Remarkable story of one man's passion for perfection proving a blessing in disguise

Comments

Anonymous said…
Never understood the *Why* of the potato famine. Do educate me! (WhatsApp comment from a very dear friend in Florida)
February 21, 2026 at 7:49 AM
Kieran said…
Irish farmers propagated Lumper potatoes from tubers suited to the poor soil and damp conditions . Easy as you didn’t have to buy anything and the crop was very predictable
But this created a monoculture (same problem with Cavendish bananas 🍌)
Between 1845 to about 1852, the late blight, caused by the fungus-like organism 'Phytophthora infestans', rotted potatoes in the ground and turned stored potatoes into foul-smelling mush.
It was a total collapse of the food chain which England exploited by refusing to send food aid. Approximately 1 million people died of starvation and disease and a similar number or more migrated to the States. - Kieran
February 21, 2026 at 7:50 AM
Anonymous said…
I like the little Red ones I grew when I was in Purdue. You won't believe.

I had a solitary Rabbit who dodged around in my garden. So when I laid out my quarter-acre vegetable garden, I laid a row of Carrots for him by the fence. He never ate the carrots but I saw him munching the fenugreek sprouts I grew for a diabetic friend. I had enough red potatoes for alternate-day potato salad on the menu. Ah to have done it No Regrets Here. (Reply to above comment also on WhatsApp)
February 21, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Kieran said…
Interesting about the rabbit. I don’t think in the wild they dig up carrots 🥕 - it’s more the domesticated / cartoon ones

Alternate day potato salad is a lot of potato, my friend. What was the size of your potato patch? - Kieran
February 21, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Anonymous said…
Potato and all veggies in two rows of 50 yards.

I had so many cucumbers and tomatoes that I fed the entire community.
Okra was for 4 months every day fresh pluck.

Okra my wife likes. Potatoes no one wants. (Reply to above comment also on WhatsApp)
February 21, 2026 at 7:52 AM
Kieran said…
That’s a big crop. Wow, I bow down to thee O Master Gardener
February 21, 2026 at 7:52 AM
Anonymous said…
I did work hard for three summers. - ALL DONE (Reply to above comment also on WhatsApp)
February 21, 2026 at 7:52 AM
Anonymous said…
Fantastic words. Honestly I never knew about Luther Burbank. Of course most people have heard about the Burbank potato. Lovely painting Kieran.👌 (WhatsApp comment from a school friend who is very appreciative of my artwork)
February 21, 2026 at 7:55 AM
Kieran said…
Thanks Sanjeev. When we travelled through Peru for 3 weeks we saw literally 1000s of varieties of Potatoes of all shapes, sizes and colors. Talk about biodiversity ❣️
February 21, 2026 at 7:55 AM
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