crop, no potatoes had been planted. That is compared to 39% of the potato acreage planted by the same time the previous year. North Dakota's planting season definitely was delayed. Below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation frustrated normal planting targets. While precipitation did delay planting, it was beneficial to North Dakota's dryland production, as most of the state was recuperating from a severe 2021 drought. The above normal rains did replenish the groundwater of the dryland areas. That plus scattered, but timely, rains through the growing season provided sufficient moisture to produce a dryland crop. Most of North Dakota dryland Red River Valley acreage produces red and round white potatoes. These often are shorter season varieties destined for the packing shed or chip plant. Dryland harvest was drier than optimum for digging. More dirt was carried up that harvester than normal, but yields were greater than average. Our processing MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE Spudman * November/December 2022 25http://www.14group.com