The Thurston County Food Bank received 2400 pounds of potatoes from our September 17th harvest of the St. Mark Community Garden potato patch! Sarah Swenson, Produce Manager of the Thurston County Food Bank, came by at the end of the harvest and was very pleased with the amount of potatoes.
The potatoes were German Butterball. The seed potatoes were supplied by Olympia Kiwanis, and they also supplied technical expertise and equipment for the harvest.
The harvest started at 9am in pouring rain (chance of showers was 40%) so the soil instantly turned muddy. All the potatoes had to be washed as a result, and many of the volunteers got soaking wet washing, sorting and packing potatoes.
Many families brought their children and/or grandchildren to the harvest. The kids enjoyed themselves and were GREAT ‘potato spotters and harvesters’.
About half of the potatoes were hand-dug, and the rest were harvested using Mike D’s tractor and low bottom plow. The field will now be tilled and a cover crop sowed to keep the weeds to a minimum.
The Garden committee will soon meet to evaluate the Community Garden’s 2011 season. If you have any input or suggestions on how to improve, please let a committee member know – or email office@stmarklacey.org
