Everyone Loves Spuds
Let’s Be Honest: Idaho Is the Potato State
By Joan Opyr, 10-04-05
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Say it loud, say it proud: P-O-T-A-T-O. Idaho grows the biggest, best-tasting potatoes in the world. Our potatoes are baked, mashed, served au gratin, and turned into crispy, super-sized, irresistible french fries. It's true that we only grow potatoes in the central and southern part of the state; in Northern Idaho, we grow winter wheat and dried peas and lentils. Northern Idaho is, in fact, the dried pea and lentil capital of the world. Hip, hip, hooray!
But lentils and wheat do not make for a truly distinctive Idaho quarter. Let's face it -- the only thing that distinguishes Idaho from Iowa in the minds of the rest of the nation is the potato. The humble spud is the thing for which we here in Idaho are best known. The peregrine falcon? Lovely, yes, but other states do have them. The Sawtooth Mountains? Okay, I challenge you tell the difference between an engraving of the Sawtooths and an engraving of the Bitteroots if each were stamped on the back of a quarter. As for the song, "Here We Have Idaho,"come on -- if you can actually hum a few bars of the latter, then you need to trade in that old Victrola and pay a visit to the 21st Century. Log onto iTunes and download some Kanye West. Get with the program, Daddy-O. The times, they are a'changing.
According to Christopher Smith of the Associated Press, Idaho's Governor Dirk Kempthorne said of the proposed designs, "I knew the ideas would be creative, beautiful and bold -- just like Idaho." You think? If we were truly bold, we'd tell the truth. We'd embrace the potato. We'd put an enormous baked russet on our quarter, complete with a melting pat of butter. People would see that and think, "Iowa." Then, someone would correct them, and they'd think "Idaho."
Georgia has the peach. North Carolina has the Wright brothers' airplane. I don't know what's on the other states' quarters because unlike George, North Carolina, and Idaho, they aren't fortunate enough to have one single thing for which they are known. We are missing a golden, deep-fried opportunity here, folks. Potato, potato, potato!
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Comments
I not only hum the last few bars of "Here We Have Idaho", I can sing the entire song from memory (bad song voice and all). You see, Joan. "Here We have Idaho" is my alma mater, and has been for the University of Idaho for almost 85 years.
For those of you interested in listening to it, here is an MP3 of the University of Idaho Choir singing my alma mater.
http://www.tomandrodna.com/HWHI.mp3
I would ask yo about your alma mater, Joan, but I am not sure that you could get a wolfpack to harmonize.
Take care.
Tom Hansen
UI '96
As for the State Song, like IdahoTom I can sing it from memory, and also in its original form, the Alma Mater Song of the University (Class of 1976 thank you very much again). Thanks, IdahoTom, fo the link to the recording! It sure brought back fond memories of my years on campus, hearing the Ad Building carillon chiming it at ten each night. Plus, I purchased a vinyl album which had the Vandal Marching Band on one side, and the Vandaleer Choir on the other singing a cappella -- including "Here We Have Idaho". Your linked recording sounds almost identical to it.