by Taryn Oakley

I am 1/4 Lithuanian. My grandfather was born in 1906 in Lithuania, which was then under the rule of the Russian Empire. When he was 9 months old, his family had paid for passage to escape Lithuania and immigrate to the United States. However, shortly before their departure, my grandfather fell ill with pneumonia. Not knowing if they would have another opportunity to escape, his parents left him behind with relatives while they and their two older children escaped to America. My grandfather would eventually be brought to the U.S. and reunited with his family when he was 7.  My grandfather rarely talked about his early years in Lithuania, and as his family had their last name changed when they entered the U.S., we know very little about their home or relatives in Lithuania.

Lithuania is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea. I have never been to Lithuania and I don't know too much about it, however, when researching the traditional foods of Lithuania, it seems as though they all revolve around  one staple food: the potato (Lithuanian Cuisine). Maybe this explains why I have always loved potatoes, in all forms. Could it possibly be genetic? A study posted by The University of Edinburgh says it just might be (2022). 

So, now on to the next question: Can potatoes be grown in Oregon? Well, this one is easy for me to answer as I have grown them here myself. The climate in Lithuania is cooler than Oregon, and while Oregon has warm and dry summers, Lithuanian has its rainiest months during the summer (World Bank). Due to the large amount of rain during the growing seasons, Lithuanian potatoes are quite susceptible to blight, a fungal disease that reproduces in wet conditions (Asakaviviute et al., 2017).

So yes, potatoes can definitely be grown here, and maybe even more easily as Oregon-grown potatoes are less likely to be impacted by blight. Could we grow a Lithuanian-specific variety of potato here in Oregon? I think the answer is yes, however, one would have to have access to the Lithuanian strains, which do not seem to be readily available here. Also, as the Lithuanian varieties are selected for blight resistance (Asakaviviute et al., 2017), they may not be as well suited to our warmer and drier summers. 

I am looking forward to connecting more with my Lithuanian roots by growing my own potatoes and learning to cook Lithuanian food with them. Up first: cepelinai!

Bulvė! (Lithuanian for Potato)