For the last eight years, I've been fortunate to be able to travel around the globe on behalf of Idaho potatoes. The funny thing is that no matter where I am, when I tell people I'm from Idaho they always respond by saying "potato" in their native tongue with a big smile on their face.
It's no coincidence that Idaho has become known as the potato state. For decades, thousands of growers have dedicated their lives to growing the most famous potato in the world. Their pride, along with Idaho's unique environment consisting of warm days, cool nights and rich volcanic soil, contribute equally to producing a premium, high-quality potato year after year.
In celebration of the IPC's 75th anniversary year, David Stoecklein, a renowned photographer of the West and proud Idaho resident, spent a year capturing the essence of Idaho through his lens. From blazing summer sunsets to serene winter mornings, David has beautifully captured the heart and soul of some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen. His breathtaking photographs have been published in a book called Potato Country that is dedicated to everyone who works in the Idaho potato industry.
We've selected some of David's most stunning photos and created a short slide show that pictorially tells the harvest potato story while bringing to life the beauty of this lush land. The slideshow can be viewed on www.idahopotato.com in the Press Room section.
For those of you who live in Idaho, I'm sure you'll recognize the snow-capped mountain ridges and the vast acres of farmland. For those of you who haven't been to Idaho yet, may these photos be your inspiration to visit.