09/22/06 Bouchey Potatoes responds for donation

Farm and Ranch September 22, 2006 Giving a new meaning to instant potatoes, Yakima potato grower Kevin Bouchey was able to provide over 1000 lbs. of fresh potatoes in a hurry last week in response to a request from a Southwest Washington coalition. The speedy spud donation was arranged by Kellee Balcom, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Foundation. Balcom learned from Mindy Schwartz of Convoy of Hope in the Chehalis/Centralia area, about an event being put on by that organization last Saturday. Balcom: "Where for low income families they were providing a whole host of things including music, hotdogs, kid's activities. And one of the things she wanted to include were some free groceries and so she said we would sure love to provide folks a bag of potatoes or something as part of their bag of nutritious goodies they were going to carry away. So she got in touch with us to see if we knew someone in our region who could help out." It was already Tuesday when Balcom learned of the request for potatoes to give away that Saturday. Balcom: "Just because the growers in our region are so tremendous, the Boucheys over there in our Yakima area decided they would pony up and could make something happen. So with just a little, tiny bit of notice they did what they could and got those guys a whole truckload of potatoes so they could include them in their bags." That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.