The spuds you like – and more besides

Well, perhaps not everyone, but the vast majority do in whatever form they appear on the plate – boiled, roasted, chipped, baked.

These wonderfully accommodating tubers have come a long way since they were first discovered more than 7,000 years ago in South America.

The Spanish brought them to Europe in the 16th century, and the rest, as they say, is history.

But although the average person in the UK still eats approximately 103 kilograms of potatoes each year, they are from only a handful of varieties – which is something UKs organic growing charities want to change.

Only 18 per cent of the potato varieties grown in the UK are currently made available to the public, and National Potato Day hopes to persuade more people to eat and grow their own spuds.

Dates and times vary, depending on where you live, but the West Yorkshire Organic Group's Potato Day is on Saturday, February 20, in the exhibition hall of Shipley College, Saltaire, Bradford.

From 10am to 2pm, visitors will be able to feast their eyes on all things potato, not least of which will be the chance to buy a host of organic tubers to grow in their own gardens.

These include first earlies Colleen and Maris Bard, second earlies Charlotte and Nicola, maincrops Arran Victory, Cara, desiree, Golden Wonder, Maris Piper, Record, Remarka, Robinta, Sarpo Axona, Sarpo Mira and Valor. And just to be fair, there will be plenty of non-organic varieties available too. Visit www.wyog.org for more details

A week later, Calder Valley Organic Gardeners' annual Potato Day takes place on Saturday, February 27, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Royal Fold, New Road, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge between 10am and 3pm. In addition to being able to buy up to 41 different varieties of seed potato, both organic and non-organic, there will be children's activities, information displays, crafts, plant sales plus food and drink. The catalogue and details for pre-ordering tubers for collection can be downloaded from www.cvog.org or call 07977 929684