my contribution to spud harvest:

I've lived in Idaho for 6+ years now, and although it's not Brigham City (my own Zion), I rather enjoy my life here, and I'm this close to considering it "home."

My friend Josh grew up farming potatoes; a couple of years ago, he showed me one of his dad's potato cellars, and I was like, "Holy crap, that's a lot of potatoes!"

Last week, Josh took me to another potato cellar when people were still actually working on the potato harvest. We got there at...I want to say eight...ish. After dark, for sure, and it was quite cold. Josh had brought donuts and hot chocolate for the workers. And then, when the trucks arrived with I don't know how many tons of potatoes, Josh gave me some gloves and "let me" help sort potatoes as they rushed by on a conveyor belt.

I was dizzy within seconds.

I learned, on my own, that it was better (much, much better!) to look ahead rather than back. (Wow. Just realized I could turn this into a life lesson, but that's not what I'm doing here. Not today, at least.) Anyway...I was much less dizzy when I looked ahead.

And I have to say: I'm not bad at sorting potatoes. Probably I'm not terrific at it, either. (I tell you, I was less dizzy looking ahead, but still dizzy.)

Don't worry, Josh got pictures!

I would say I'm a natural, but that would be a lie...

Don't I look like I'm having so much fun?!

Awww! We found a heart-shaped potato as we sorted!

 Josh showed me around the cellar again.

This passageway may or may not have scared Josh in his youth;
I'll never tell!

This is only a partially-full cellar of taters. Ri-dang-diculous!

This was on the other side of the cellar.
Josh told me to stand on the potatoes; I felt guilty as soon as I did...

...but not guilty enough to NOT take a picture of my feet first.
I think he said I was standing on two stories of potatoes?
AWESOME, huh?!

 Anyway...that was my contribution to the Spud Harvest of 2012. 'twas fun, indeed! Thanks for showing me around, Joshua!