How to (not) store potatoes

Well, I’ve now learned how *not* to store potatoes.

I stored a portion of our good potato harvest in hay, the other in shredded paper. The hay was definitely easier, faster, and less messy. And, in turns out, the right medium to use.

I showed a buddy what you see in the nearby photo and he immediately said, “Well duh, paper is a desiccant.”

A what?

It turns out his father was a paper maker, who used desiccants in the process. A desiccant sucks the water out of whatever is near it. Those little things in your vitamin bottle are desiccants. I inadvertently sucked all the moisture right out of my potatoes.

Oops. Good thing I’m learning this lesson now, while we still have access to relatively inexpensive food from our local co-op. Next time I’ll stick with hay.