Potatoes

Had a shift for tonight but got canceled. SSDD.

Had decided I would go to the store after work in the morning. That decision was for the sake of my patients. I'd much prefer being tired and not fully alert while shopping than while lives rest on my mental lucidity. Throws a slight wrench in those plans, among others. But I can get up early in the morning and get the shopping done.

Went and bought potatoes tonight at the produce store across the street. Only cost $3 for 20 lbs. Makes me wonder how the hell potato farmers survive. At the price they're not worth dedicating limited garden space alone. But growing potatoes is supposed to be beneficial for some other crops and help condition the soil. Of course, that's all dependent on whether they grow and the dog doesn't dig them up. I may have to place chicken wire on the ground until they take root. Any way, some of the potatoes are small enough to be a bit like large seed potatoes. So I cut some of the small ones in half and have them drying to form calluses. Plant them in a few days.

Lots of sources say store potatoes may have hormones sprayed on them to keep them from sprouting. With the price of such hormones, I find it likely more expensive red or gold potatoes would have that but not so likely for russets at $0.15 a lb. Even if they do the worst that can happen is that they don't grow. Only using a few lbs, I'm out less than $1 to try and still have potatoes to last for some time.