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2009 Yearly Report |
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The second year for the Project has shown a rapid growth of the Potato Gardener Network in Southeastern Wisconsin.
The initial group of about 20 gardeners has now reached over 100 participating gardens and folks interested to participate in the future.
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| The Kenosha Potato Project is a genetic diversity conservation effort shared by a network of local gardeners and farmers who pledged to grow specific potato varieties and save the seed (tuber pieces) for future generations. In time more heritage and rare heirloom cultivars will be available at farmers' markets for our fellow Wisconsinites to enjoy. | ||||||||
| Challenges | ||||||||
| Some of the participating gardeners have lost the entire crop (planted in a flood plain), have eaten all the crop (missed to save seed for next year), or returned the seed in a bag on the porch of some unknown neighbor (free dinner).
The greatest challenge is to find reliable gardeners who understand growing potato and saving potato tubers with proper winter storage.
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| Kenosha Potato Project in Numbers | ||||||||
| The Catalog has grown from 123 varieties at the end of 2008 to over 200 in 2009 - new varieties are on order for 2010 - the goal is to reach 250 varieties.
About 50 varieties are 100+ years old heirlooms, including Land Races - tubers that are believed to be the fruit of open pollination and saved for centuries, rather than the modern hybrids, resulted from controlled breeding process. The 2009 collection counts approximately
Gardeners are showing more interest in colored flesh tubers - perhaps because dark flesh has much higher antioxidant levels than white flesh. Almost all tubers are listed in the catalog with a decent picture - there is always room for improvement. Please send me better pictures (please use this background). 11 recipes are linked to specific varieties .... always looking for more interesting recipes to add! Your suggestions are always welcome.
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| Kenosha Potato Project in the Future | ||||||||
| A new focus of the Project wants to keep records of which varieties yield larger crops with vertical growth (in a potato box or potato bag).
Records will be kept on the new web page kenoshapotato.com If you are interested to participate in the vertical growth variety testing, we wish to keep records of the yield produced with 3 seed pieces (3 small tubers) - if grown in a box - or 6 seed tubers if grown in a Potato Bag (click here to order). It seems obvious that better results can be achieved with varieties that develop taller vines and a shallow tuber set with long stolons which tend to grow toward the surface. But you may prove me wrong with short vines varieties!
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| Stay connected on Facebook | ||||||||
| Search for Kenosha Potato Project on Facebook and stay connected, post pictures, recipes and share your potato gardening stories.
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| Become a member of Seed Savers Exchange | ||||||||
| The no-profit organization based in Iowa has now more than 11,000 members worldwide - if you are not a member yet ... click here and scroll to the bottom for the link to the membership page.
The low membership fee rewards you with a 10% discount on all SSE commercial seed orders, plus you receive a number of publications in addtition to the Yearbook, the listing of 13,000 plus heirloom seed. The Yearbook is now also available online.
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