Cooperative Seed Potato Order at Perry-Winkle Farm

February 20, 2006

Photos and text by Debbie Roos, Agricultural Extension Agent.

Cooperative Seed Potato Order at Perry-winkle Farm  Chapel Hill, NC

Cathy Jones of Perry-winkle Farm in northern Chatham County is known for her beautiful gourmet colored potatoes. Customers love choosing among the lovely colors: rose, blue, gold, purple...all with outstanding flavor. Many people who enjoy the flavor of these great potatoes in July would never guess that Cathy was thinking about them way back in the winter when she placed her seed order. Cathy gets her certified organic seed potatoes from Wood Prairie Farm in Maine. She organizes a group of growers so they can all order together and save on shipping costs. The potatoes are delivered in February for March planting.

The seed potatoes arrive via UPS.

Farmer Cathy Jones unloads the boxes of certified organic seed potatoes that arrived via UPS truck. Her friend Stephanie Lily and farmer John Soehner help. The group ordered almost 2,000 pounds - a ton - of potatoes!
unloading boxed potatoes

Everyone opens all the boxes and sorts the potatoes by variety.
box of seed potatoes

A farmer's share of Rose Gold seed potatoes.
Matt selecting potatoes

Matthew Holt of Mystic Farm weighs out his order.
group sorting potatoes

JoAnn Gallagher (Castlemaine Farm), Ben Bergmann (Fickle Creek Farm), Cathy, and Matthew sort and weigh potatoes.
Share on Facebook Email this article Print this article

We also have a few other email lists you can subscribe to.