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Ebany · 26 Aug 2005, 20:34

While you can survive on a whole range of choices of foods, I would suspect the problem the irish had was that potatoes were their staple foodstuff (as carbs tend to be in those places where agriculture is possible) and as such the sudden loss of the majority of your expected food causes some severe problems. The eskimos work with what they have, as their land is not really suited to growing crops. The Irish work with what they have, grow potatoes, and get ****ed when the crop screws up.

Just cause people can survive on certain types of food doesnt prevent famine. They still need some of ANY food there to feed them. I am sure in a famine situation they ate anything they could find, it wasnt a case of 'well, its not potato, so I'm not gonna eat it'.

26 Aug 2005, 20:34	#32
Ebany Cute Kitten Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 724	Re: New Potatoes While you can survive on a whole range of choices of foods, I would suspect the problem the irish had was that potatoes were their staple foodstuff (as carbs tend to be in those places where agriculture is possible) and as such the sudden loss of the majority of your expected food causes some severe problems. The eskimos work with what they have, as their land is not really suited to growing crops. The Irish work with what they have, grow potatoes, and get ****ed when the crop screws up. Just cause people can survive on certain types of food doesnt prevent famine. They still need some of ANY food there to feed them. I am sure in a famine situation they ate anything they could find, it wasnt a case of 'well, its not potato, so I'm not gonna eat it'.