Potato patch experiment

A few weeks ago I wrote about planting potato eyes in my experimental potato patch. I am trying to grow potatoes vertically, using an aproximately 4x4 foot patch ringed with strawbales as my garden plot. From the reading I have done on this, I should be able to grow upto 100 lbs of potatoes in this tiny patch! The idea is to continuously hill the plants as they grow, so that they send out new roots with more potato nodes on them. Today I hilled my plants for the first time. Even though they are in a fairly shady part of the yard, they seem to be doing well. The recent heat, humidity and rain has helped them to shoot up quickly.

A guest staying with us recently mentioned the idea of growing potatoes in 5 gallon pails. He said a member of his community garden is growing a series of potatoes in these 5 gallon pails, which are compact, easy to "hill" (just keep adding soil), and can be carried home. At the end of the season you could even simply pull out the plant, reach under to harvest a few potatoes as needed, and store the rest in a cool basement or garage in the pail of soil over winter.

New Partnership with Fertile Ground CSA!

Exciting new partnership formed with Fertile Ground CSA!

We have launched a partnership with a new local CSA (community supported agriculture) called Fertile Ground CSA! Angie Koch, who has recently completed a year-long intensive farm internship at the Everdale Learning Centre near Guelph, is the driving force behind Fertile Ground CSA. With the launch of this CSA project she is realizing a lifelong dream of growing good food for others in a sustainable way. Angie is now renting several acres of land just outside of Waterloo, planning to grow fresh produce, herbs and flowers for about 25 share members this summer/fall with the help of other assorted farm hands, friends and volunteers.

The CSA model of food production connects farmers directly with the people who eat the food they grow. Members purchase a share in the harvest and are treated to the fresh, locally-grown vegetables in season each week. Our model offers a combination of diversity & choice which we think you'll find appealing. Drop offs will be held weekly at Little City Farm (downtown Kitchener), every Tuesday from 3:30-6:30 pm, from July through October (18 weeks). We are hoping to create a neighbourhood feeling to this CSA, encouraging members to walk, bike or carpool when they come for their produce. The Little City Farm partnership will include hosting the pick-up days, helping on the farm, and creating newsletters with updates & seasonal recipes for share members.

Vision of Fertile Ground CSA:

Fertile Ground offers people a taste of the joys of farming. We are committed to providing our customers with the freshest, highest-quality produce we can grow.

At Fertile Ground, we believe in:

• growing organically as the best way to nourish ourselves, our customers, and the earth, for years to come
• distributing all of our produce through local food systems
• striving to give back as much as we take

We are excited about getting our hands dirty and working the ground in ways that root us in hope and cultivate our wonder. We are committed to inspiring people to get excited about their food.

If your interest is piqued, please visit www.fertilegroundcsa.com more details, including registration form and an expected crop list.