In 2017 an object sped through our solar system. Based on its trajectory and speed, it originated outside of our solar system. The Hawaiian ...
In 2017 an object sped through our solar system. Based on its trajectory and speed, it originated outside of our solar system. The Hawaiian observatory that made the discovery called it Oumuamua, "a messenger that reaches out from the distant past". Oumuamua had already passed Earth and was accelerating out of our solar system before it was observed by radio telescope. We have no idea what it actually looked like, but based on the data it was consistent with an object that was long, stretched and thin. Hmmm.
If you stretch your imagination, the object below could have fallen off Oumuamua. Odd and mysterious.
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| Small craters and protuberances could mean new life |
After this falls into the earth, the small green protuberances will cause the object to replicate many times!
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| Aliens hitching a ride? |
Is it an asteroid? Is it a comet?
No, it is a spud-nik! It is our common white potato.
This spud will not be a common spud, but a very special spud.
Spud was found among the "good" potatoes while I was making Melissa Clarke's Potato-Cheddar Soup with Quick-Pickled Jalapeños. Spud was soft and sprouting, not good enough for the meal.
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| This is what potato cheddar soup is suppose to look like |
However this potato would be special.
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| Spud, a very special potato |
Spud did not make it into the soup, but it will be the parent of many spud-lings. The sprouts at the top will grow into long vines, while other stems will fan out in the soil and produce tubers. Potatoes are not roots, they are specialized stems. We had a perfect spot for Spud in the earth of the Recycle Garden, the home of spoiled and unwanted vegetables from the kitchen. Not good enough for the table, but perfect for the garden.
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| Spud's new home |
In three to four months, we will be harvesting many of Spud's offspring.
Do you have a Spud? Growing potatoes is simple:
- Bad potato
- Put in soil
- Harvest two pounds or more of potatoes in 3-4 months
Melissa's potato soup was a lot tougher! It is a thick, hardy soup on the first day. The pickled jalapeños are a must. By the second day, the potatoes and cheese turned into a thick sauce. It was no longer a soup, but it was perfect for my mac and cheese with jalapeños!
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| Perfect Covid comfort food |
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