THE U-Pick GARDEN will be closing August 20th. This will be the last year the garden will be open to the public. Next year I'll be operating as a CSA, supplying about 20 regular customers with weekly boxes. Thank you for your support over the last 8 years, but it's time to try something new.

To get a copy of my book, "How To Grow Vegetables In Sitka, Alaska" just give me a call....The books are $20 plus tax. If you live out of town and want me to mail you a copy, you can mail a check for $25.60 to:

Lori Adams
P O Box 6021
Sitka, Alaska
99835


Down To Earth U-Pick Garden is located at 2103 Sawmill Creek Road in Sitka, Alaska. It is open usually from mid-June through late August. Hours are Monday-Saturday 12:00 to 6:30. On Farmer's Market Saturdays I am not open until 2:00. Children are welcome but may not run through the garden or chase the ducks. If you have any questions you can contact me, Lori Adams, at 907-747-6108 or 907-738-2241. My email address is downtoearthupick@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

I Think Man COULD Live By Potatoes Alone

I wasn't super impressed with my potato harvest this year. I was pretty surprised beings everything else dod so good. I think it's because I grew them in tubs above the ground and the weather was warm all summer and I didn't water them enough. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of spuds to feed us this winter, but I actually had more and bigger potatoes per tub last year. There are so many different kinds of potatoes it's hard to know what to grow....different colors, different shapes, different flavors.

I like Yukon Golds because they are usually large and fairly scab resistant. This tub had one seed potato in it and nothing in it for fertilizer. I did a little experimenting this year with amendments....


I also grew Inca Bella, and Alaska Rose, but my favorite though is this fingerling potato called Rose Finn.


They have this long shape that resembles a finger. They can get quite large too, but this year mine are fairly small. They are very scab resistant and are SO sweet! I love that you don't have to scrub or peel them.


 It's funny, when I first was introduced to fingerling potatoes I was not impressed. I thought they were too small and too much trouble....and now they are my favorite!


I've I read that it is best not to wash your spuds before storing them. But, you know, I think it's best to spray them off immediately after harvesting them and then lay them out of the sun to dry outside for a day or so before them storing them. It makes them SO much easier to wash when it's time to eat them.

And as for storage.....I've read it's best to store them in a cool place (40-50degrees F), in the dark, where it's not too dry. Finding a place like that was hard for me.  I kept wondering....where is a place that is cool, dark and not too dry....and then it hit me.....The cargo hold of the boat! So I put them all in brown paper bags, labeled them, hauled them down to the boat...


...and stowed them in the cargo hold alongside the other ship provisions.


And then I took their temperature.


A little warm.....but that's nothing another month won't fix.
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