Happy New Year Everyone!
As we wrap up 2024, we have much to reflect on. First, we’re thrilled to announce that we welcomed a new Packing Shed Manager, Madeline Good, to our team this year. She’s doing a fantastic job, and we’re so grateful for her hard work and dedication.
We were fortunate to have rain this year—not too much though—which contributed to a much better crop of potatoes compared to 2023. However, as every farmer knows, there’s always a curveball. This year, our turnip crop was the star of our farming “whoopsie” story. Although it looked beautiful when harvested, the turnip didn’t fare well in storage, perhaps from being harvested in the cold. Ah, the joys of farming!
Our MOFGA certified organic Amish contractors grew a very abundant crop of winter squash this year, and we still have some Acorn and Pie Pumpkin left available.
On the sales front, our A-sized Russet potatoes were a hit in 2024, selling out entirely within just a couple of months. Gold and red A-sized potatoes have also been flying out of the bins and are nearly sold out. We still have an abundance of B-sized potatoes, especially Russets. We don’t know why more people don’t take advantage of these versatile spuds—they’re perfect for smashed potatoes, hasselback potatoes, fried hash, scalloped dishes, and so much more. The little reds and golds are equally scrumptious!
We also grew a bountiful supply of red and golden beets and rutabagas this year, and there are plenty available for anyone looking to stock up. On the seed side, orders have been pouring in rapidly. Some varieties sold out almost immediately as customers placed their orders early.
Two varieties that continue to impress us but remain somewhat underappreciated are Red Maria and Lehigh. Red Maria, with its ruby-red skin and prolific yield, is a late-season beauty that sizes up wonderfully and stores exceptionally well. It’s resistant to many diseases and makes a fantastic table stock potato. Lehigh, another superb table stock variety, offers great flavor, excellent storage potential, and a beautiful pack-out. We grow both varieties for our own table stock and highly recommend them.
This season, we grew a plentiful supply of popular varieties, including Kennebec, DRN, NDAF, Yukon Gold, French Fingerling, German Butterball, Satina, Elba, Amarosa, Chieftain, Adirondack Red, Russian Banana, Lehigh, Keuka Gold, All Blue, Baltic Rose, Masquerade, Adirondack Blue, Superior, and Eva. We are running low on Caribou, LaRatte, NY-149, and Natascha. Sadly, we’re completely sold out of Strawberry Paw, Pinto Gold, and Magic Molly, so we encourage everyone to get their seed orders in soon before more varieties run out.
Thank you for being part of our journey this year. We hope 2025 brings health, happiness, a bountiful harvest, and success to all. Have a fabulous New Year!