Taylor Grant Uses the Latest Tools to Farm More Sustainably

Taylor Grant is used to hard work. He’s the chief operating officer at Grant 4-D Farms in Rupert, Idaho, which grows nine varieties of russet potatoes across 30,000 acres. During harvest time, his team works 14- to 15-hour days to ensure consumers have access to their favorite vegetable all year.

While he grew up in Idaho, Taylor and his wife were living in Seattle when they decided to move back and make farming their life.

“In 2013, I asked my wife if she wanted to be on the farm or in Seattle, and she said on the farm,” said Taylor. “A week later, we were on a combine.”

Grant 4-D Farms was started in 1958. As Taylor looks to the future, sustainability and innovation are major focus areas. In addition to rotating plants like sugar beets to replenish soil quality, Grant 4-D Farms also has solar panels to generate some of its own power and uses sensors to monitor the moisture in the soil.

“Sustainability is at the top of our list because we want to make sure this land is growing high-quality crops for years to come,” said Taylor. “Our tillage practices are constantly evolving.

These innovative practices help Grant 4-D Farms harvest a lot of potatoes! Each of their 30 storage bays holds 10 million pounds of potatoes. In just one bay, that’s 90.6 million grams of plant-based protein and the daily value of potassium for about 4.5 million people.

When he’s not working 15-hour days during the harvest season, Taylor and his wife love spending time with their two young children and getting outdoors through scuba diving, wakeboarding, and riding motorcycles.

His favorite potato dish? Taylor’s wife has recently started creating dishes featuring smashed potatoes. Fast and easy, these potatoes have a great flavor and crispy texture, and are a “smashing” hit in the Grant household. Check out one of Taylor’s favorite recipes here!