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Potato-daft Auchtermuchty man travels the world to talk tatties

John Marshall has travelled to the likes of Peru, where he planted potatoes at Machu Picchu.

John Marshall has always been passionate about tatties and has travelled the world sharing that love - and expertise. Image: John Marshall
John Marshall has always been passionate about tatties and has travelled the world sharing that love - and expertise. Image: John Marshall

This Auchtermuchty man is devoted to tatties and will be sharing his love at Kirriemuir Tattie Day this weekend.

John Marshall has made the humble potato his life, travelling to the likes of Peru to plant spuds.

The 73-year-old says he had “tatties imprinted on [his] brain” when he was growing up.

“From a very early age, I was working in a greenhouse,” he said.

“My father was a potato farmer in Perthshire. He was more of a potato expert than I am or ever will be.”

These formative experiences inspired a life-long potato passion for John.

John Marshall picture beside bags of tatties in Auchtermuchty. He will be speaking at Sustainable Kirriemuir tattie day.
John unveiling a plaque for Archibald Findlay in Auchtermuchty. Image: John Marshall

“I became a government potato inspector as a student. And I think that’s where it stuck. I couldn’t get them out of my head.”

John spent 16 years on the Potato Marketing Board, before becoming a seed potato trader.

“I was travelling around the world trying to develop tattie markets in places like Saudi Arabia,” he said.

“We also went to Peru in 2018. I was trekking into Machu Picchu with my wife and we spent a couple of days in the Potato Park.”

There, John planted potatoes, specifically landrace, where the custodians are based.

John planting landrace potatoes in the potato park at Machu Picchu in 2018. Image: John Marshall

In his retirement, John spends his time educating others, giving “tattie talks” to other potato-enthusiasts.

“Now I download this information to garden groups – and unsuspecting school children.

“I go into as many classrooms as possible to show them where potatoes come from and how they are grown.”

John is speaking at Kirriemuir Tattie Day 2023 this weekend, hosted by Sustainable Kirriemuir and Potato House.

He is asking attendees “What’s all the fuss?” when it comes to heritage potatoes.

Well, John offered me a sneak preview.

Sustainable Kirriemuir will hear how the right potato can inspire nostalgia

“I don’t know if you’ve ever contemplated heritage potatoes before,” he said. I hadn’t.

“On the one hand,” he continued, “there are new potato varieties coming in which are disease-resistant or store better.

“You might say that the new ones are environmentally friendly, but the old ones?

“They’ve got that distinctive flavour and character. The potatoes of the present don’t taste like they used to.”

“It’s like a piece of music,” John added, “if you hear music from your past, it can suddenly transcend you back there.

“It is the same with potatoes.

“If you get a flavour of something that you enjoyed when you were young, it brings you right back. There’s a sense of nostalgia.”

Sustainable Kirriemuir Tattie Day is taking place on Saturday February 25 from 12-4pm in the Kirriemuir Town Hall.

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