Potato Planters

In the years after the First World War, an economic slump left many farmers unable to purchase tractors to relieve the back-breaking work of planting and reaping. Here, two farm hands transport heavy sacks of dirt on a gurney. A third worker carries a crate of tubers ready to plant. Potatoes were a favorite food among all levels of society. The working class ate them and also used them as hand-warmers, while the elite consumed potatoes often disguised as other foods. Private chefs carved them into the shape of pears or olives to delight their employers.