Mountain Sweet POtatoes
North Carolina has long been THE state for sweet potatoes--more than 40% of the sweet tubers grown in the U.S. come from our state, well more than the next three tater producing states combined(1)! Generally, that production comes out of the sandy soils of eastern NC, but sweet potatoes have been grown by mountain families for generations--varieties that perform well in heavier, clay soils. Over the past several years I have kept my eyes peeled for "mountain sweet potatoes." Unlike seeds, which can be safely stored in a freezer or root cellar for years and years, Sweet Potatoes need to be grown out every year in order to keep the "seed" (and by seed I mean rootstock, sweet potatoes rarely even flower in our climate). So, it only takes one skipped growing season for a variety to be lost. Sweet potatoes are grown from "slips," which is just a section of the vining plant that then roots and begins forming potatoes where you plant it. (It's possible to merely put a tuber in the ground, but the tubers from one season's growth are better eating.) Currently I have 3 varieties, plus a 4th that "sported" in my garden in 2021, and developed different foliage from its parent plant.
Left to Right: Cecil Fisher's Willowleaf, Queen of the South, Mountain City Yellow
Hot Boxes
I remember my friend Ray telling me about the "hot boxes" his parents used to start tomatoes and sweet potatoes. The varieties he remembered most was Porto Rican (which was recommended by the Farmers Federation). "They didn't get very big," he said, "But ma would set out a bowl of gravy and you'd just sop 'em in there and *YOM*" The Hot Bed "how-to" here also comes from the Farmers Federation, courtesy of the Western North Carolina Farm Virtual Tour at Mars Hill University.
Please reach out to me if you are interested in growing sweet potatoes like these, or if you have a lead on an old family variety still being grown. Shipping logistics is not my *gift*, so I am only able to sell slips in person from our place in Bakersville. I can possibly make other pickup arrangements (like in Sylva or Boone), but I don't feel comfortable at this stage shipping slips!
Please reach out to me if you are interested in growing sweet potatoes like these, or if you have a lead on an old family variety still being grown. Shipping logistics is not my *gift*, so I am only able to sell slips in person from our place in Bakersville. I can possibly make other pickup arrangements (like in Sylva or Boone), but I don't feel comfortable at this stage shipping slips!