Digging for Gold: A Sweet Potato Love Story
There’s just something about root crops that has my heart—especially potatoes. Every harvest feels like a little treasure hunt, and I swear I turn into a pirate digging for gold when it’s time to unearth those hidden gems.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been deep in potato-harvest mode. This year, I planted four different organic varieties of both regular and sweet potatoes. I definitely invested a small fortune into quality seed potatoes and slips, but I’m also planning ahead by saving part of this year's harvest to replant next season. So, it all balances out… right?
In past seasons, I’ve always grown potatoes in raised beds or grow bags, but this year is a bit of a transition—and an experiment. We decided to plant directly in the ground using the mound method, starting each row with a nice two-foot hill. What I forgot to think about was how tight the rows would be... and that I wouldn't be able to fit the tractor between them. That meant hauling soil by hand—great at first, not so great the third or fourth time around. 😅
Pro tip: It’s important to keep your potatoes covered with soil as they grow. If exposed to the sun, they turn green and can become toxic. Let’s just say some of mine got a little more sun than I intended this year... oops!
Now let’s talk sweet potatoes—those sprawling beauties that took over their bed like they owned the place. Lesson learned: next year, I’m either giving them way more space or training them up a trellis or cattle fencing. They do love to wander!
This year’s sweet potato haul came in at a whopping 41 pounds, plus another 15 pounds of smaller ones I plan to can in the pressure canner. Before they go into storage, the sweet potatoes will hang out in the warm house for about 10 days to cure, allowing blemishes to heal and sugars to develop. After that, it’s off to the cool, dark basement where they’ll keep through the winter.
Fun fact break!
Did you know sweet potatoes and yams are actually two different species?
Sweet potatoes have reddish skin, are moist, soft when cooked, and taste sweet—perfect for mashing, baking, or sneaking into just about everything.
Yams, on the other hand, have tan or brown skin, are drier, more fibrous, and less sweet—great in hearty stews or soups.
Sweet potatoes are also little nutritional powerhouses—high in vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, and full of antioxidants. They’re as good for your health as they are for your taste buds!
If you’re dreaming of homegrown goodness and golden harvests, I can’t recommend root crops enough. They’re humble, hearty, and full of surprises—just like the land we love.
Til next time,
Keep growing and glowing 🌱✨