This was our first year trying red potatoes on the farm, and it was an experiment in a few different ways. The crop, the method, the schedule – all of it was new for us this year, leading to a few minor stumbles. Overall, we got a nice little crop and learned a lot for next year, when the plan is to scale up pretty significantly and have enough to sell and give away.
1st year growing potatoes
Variety: Pontiac red
Final yield: 4.3 oz per square foot (11,710 lbs/acre)
Overall self-grade: B-
Positives
– We got a crop, and every spud we planted produced something
– Some perfect, gorgeous red potatoes
– Very little damage or loss
Challenges
– May have planted too early
– Method wasn’t ideal for our conditions
– Many very small potatoes – yield could be much higher
Goals for 2026
– 4x growing space
– Increase yield/sqft by 20%, with fewer tiny potatoes
– Experiment with second variety, along with Pontiacs
– Sell our first potatoes!
No Responses