It is harvested somewhere in the United States every month of the year, and is harvested in Wisconsin from mid-July through October. It is the potato, and it is one of our favorite vegetables. The average American consumes 126 pounds of potatoes per person each year. Wisconsin ranks 5th in potato production nationwide, producing 31.6 million pounds of potatoes in 1996. They are also one of the leading sources of Vitamin C in the American diet, and they provide Vitamin B6, niacin, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and potassium.
Potatoes have the image of being a fattening food.
When possible, buy potatoes from a bulk display. Uniform size for even cooking. Potatoes that are regular in shape to reduce waste in peeling. To determine how many potatoes to buy, use the following rule of thumb. Warmth will cause potatoes to turn soft, shrivel or sprout.