Garden Log

We dug potatoes today. We originally planted four rows, with about three pounds of potatoes each: one row of red pontiacs, one row of yukon gold, and two rows of kennebecs. Today we dug three bushels from the row of red pontiacs, one bushel from the row of yukon golds, and four-and-a-half bushels from the two rows of kennebecs.

Gretchen’s father says that a bushel of potatoes weighs about 60 pounds. So, our 8½ bushels could weigh 510 pounds. We used last year’s potatoes to seed the reds, so it only took about 10 pounds of purchased seed to get that 510 pounds of potatoes.

That 10 pounds of seed cost $5.50. If potatoes are going for 50¢ per pound, then those 510 pounds of potatoes would be worth $255, less the seed money, for a clear profit of $249.50. This should easily be more than enough to last us all year.

By the way, we’re still eating last year’s potatoes.

Pictures tomorrow… too tired… must sleep. Here are a few pictures.

From left-to-right, the red pontiacs, the yukon golds, and the kennebecs.

We lay the potatoes out on the ground for the day so the dirt will dry so it is easier to rub off. Some say the exposure to the sun’s UV rays kills… things… that live on the potato under the ground. Others say they help toughen the skin for storage. I don’t know about that.

They come in a variety of sizes.