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Photos and text by Debbie Roos, Agricultural Extension Agent.
Potatoes, from Seed to Harvest
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George and Megan plant seed pieces in mid-March. Potatoes are a cool-season crop that needs at least 3 months to mature. |
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'All-Blue' seed potatoes ready to be planted. They plant nine varieties of potatoes, and some Perry-winkle farmers' market customers have been known to brag about their red, white, and blue potato salad! |
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Cathy's little cousin came by for a visit and wanted to play "farmer", following George and Chris into the field as they laid drip tape for the newly planted potatoes. |
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The potatoes are planted 9" apart with drip irrigation tape to the side. |
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Cathy adjusts the width between hiller discs to ensure that the seed pieces are fully covered. |
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Cathy covers the newly planted potatoes. |
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Cathy hills the potatoes with a tobacco bedder in late April. Hilling is done to ensure there is enough soil above the developing potatoes that they don't push out of the hill and get exposed to light. |
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Potato field in mid-June. |
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Mike (right) supervises campers from Screech Owl Farm Camp who come every year to help harvest potatoes in late June. |
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Some of the colorful, just-harvested potatoes. Clockwise from top: 'Caribe', 'Cranberry Red', and 'Carola'. |
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The freshly dug potatoes are front and center with Cathy and Melissa at the Fearrington Farmers' Market in mid-July. |
