You have to go back a while to remember when the most popular name in Baldwin County, Ala., was "Spud."

No, that wasn't the name people gave their sons, nor was it the most popular name for pooches. Here's a hint: Spud was of Irish descent.

Yes, back in the day the potato was the biggest news-maker in Baldwin County.

The spud was apt to make local headlines over politicians and even the death of presidents. Such and such church might be holding revival services with a big name preacher from out of town but potato prices in Baldwin County during the 1930's and '40's would probably trump evangelistic news.

There was considerable drama regarding the potato. One year agricultural experts might give somber warnings to Baldwin County farmers: Don't plant too many potatoes!

The next year it was green grass and high tides forever and the experts would be rejoicing that 25,000 acres were planted in spuds.

There was even a Potato Tour back in those days. Yes, a tour of potato fields and sheds and all things potato!

Today you have your Tour of Homes; that's where people open up their homes so you can go and look at them and feel miserable about your home and life in general.

Well, 70 or 80 years ago farmers showed off their potato fields and sheds the same way. They counted success not in the Stock Market but in train cars loaded with spuds.

Back in those days the potato experts would get together and discuss the prospects for the upcoming planting season. These experts were the potato heads. Granted, the fields of spuds have now been turned into subdivisions and hunking chain stores squat on the acreage but the potato heads didn't disappear with the spuds. The potato heads, it seem, can exist whether there are spuds or not.

The potato heads are still getting together and discussing things. They want to cloister themselves in their communities because they think they can do it better than anyone else. They want to hedge their "potato fields," draw lines in the sand ... always in the sand.

By nature potato heads like to be leaders and they come up with the screwiest ideas about what makes a good leader. "I come from a long line of potato heads and we've never changed one iota. I'm a chip off the ol' potato and that makes me electable!" A potato head never entertains the idea that we might need something different for a change.

Whatever, while I feel certain we won't see another Potato Tour in Baldwin County any time soon, I'm equally confident the potato heads still out there will keep us moored just about where they want us, say, 1920 ... 1930. 

Bob Morgan is a retired, award-winning journalist and author.