On being the greater Man than my Father

Hah, just kidding. I got a big hero worship thing of my Dad going, but I liked the original title "I am the greater man than my father', but it morphed to this, so we go......

It's in the growing; I write this. I was much impressed with the vital groth of my tomatoes this year that originally made me think "Damn, I can't remember this production even in my Dad's lifetime". Lots growth, lotsa red.

However, what really set me forth is that, by accident--I grew some potatoes this summer. By accident. And there's a very famous thing about growing potatoes in Chicago= it can't be done. Oh yes, under growth lamps, in labs, etc..., but in some dude backyard? Nah. And is' a very famous idea, written about by Cecil Adams (no I won't look again for the article, again get sidetracked , again not write this post...look yrself, send link to me, please) and seconded by the potatoe experts I trust most- my Irish uncles, all who are expert in potatoe growing (Really, and sorry for the stereotype.....wait, my uncls all did grow that tuber, so forget my apoligies...). So, my Dad? never grew an American spud. The other 35 uncles on both sides who came over to the U.S.A.? Never grew a spud.

But I have.

All those centuries of potatoe growing in their genes did not allow this trait to be unvailed in the new world; it must only have become dominant in me by.......whats the term? Sponteneous combustion?? Freak?............ MUTATION, that's the proper term-finally, in my generation.

How?

We compost righteously. It's great. All goes into the soil, be it coffee grounds, bannana skins, old vegies, and.............an uneaten backed potatoe over the winter. Now, as Gallo once said, throw some potatoes in a darken cupboard and they start to sprout- this time it was into the soil an uneated potatoe went. When it came time to finally to til the soil in the spring, the potatoe had sprouted greenery and leaves. This is kinda normal: but when I uprooted it, lo and behold, there were two smallish potatoes in the roots. It made me happy to have.........well, I did nothing. But still, they grew.