September 7: National Potato Month

1. There is an 80 percent chance of rain today and the high temperature is 66 °F. The wind will come from the northeast at speeds between 7 mph and 11 mph. There is a 70 percent chance of rain tonight and the overnight low is 64 °F. The wind will come from the northeast at a speed of 7 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

2. If there’s one thing you don’t want to miss, it’s National Potato Month, which is celebrated throughout September. Dubbed "America’s Favorite Vegetable" by the United States Potato Board, there are a variety of ways in which you can celebrate this versatile vegetable. One way is to make a batch of your own potato chips! Check out this YouTube video for a quick and easy tutorial. Also take a peek at other ways to celebrate, below.  

3. Here are some potato facts, courtesy of Environmental Graffiti, with which you can amaze your friends:

• The potato is the most important non-cereal crop in the world, and fourth most important crop overall. Only corn, wheat, and rice are more important. In the US, potato products are the second most consumed food overall, trailing only dairy products.
• Potato blossoms used to be the hottest royal fashion accessory. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were both known to wear potato blossoms to spiff up their outfits.
• Thomas Jefferson allegedly served the "French fry" in the US for the first time at a presidential dinner.
• While potatoes may be synonymous with the Irish these days, they were grown in the Andes mountains centuries before Europeans ever set foot in the new world. The Incas of Peru were growing them as far back as 200 BC. They were first introduced to Britain and Ireland in the late 1500s. They weren’t an immediate hit either; many people blamed them for diseases and railed against them because they weren’t mentioned in the Bible.
• The world’s largest potato weighed in at 18 pounds, 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records. That’s enough for 73 portions of medium fries at McDonalds.
• In 1995, potato plants were taken into space with the space shuttle Columbia. This marked the first time any food was ever grown in space.
• Potatoes are environmentally friendly. They’re cheap and easy to grow, and don’t require massive amounts of fertilizer and chemical additives to thrive (although some growers still use them anyway). They’re also very cheap and good for you, providing you’re not eating them in fried form all the time. This makes them a perfect crop for farmers in the developing world, who can easily grow a nutritious food in adverse conditions.

4. Of course, there are endless potato recipes on the Internet. For a change of pace, here are some unique, handmade gifts from the talented artists on Etsy for the potato lover in your life:

• Potato Charms 
• Potato Chips and Dip Soap
• A Couch Potato Monster Pillow
• Microwave Potato Baking Bag
• Happy Potato Birthday Card
• Potato Chip Dangle Earrings
• Potatoes Pastel Painting

5. Here’s a little-known fact. Hasbro unveiled new, thinner Mr. and Mrs. Potato Heads during the 2011 International Toy Fair in New York City. The thinner Potato Heads have slimmer bodies and wear pants and skirts. Hasbro is marketing the change as a fun "extreme bake-over." Expect to see the physically fit duo in stores this fall!