Valley Bounty, February 22, 2014: Sweet Potatoes

Despite their tropical origins, sweet potato varieties suited for our climate are a great storage crop, lasting well through the winter. Local farmers offer recipes ranging from Sweet Potato and Maple Pie to a Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Frittata. Or go simple: cut long fingers for oven fries, or add chunks to a pan of roasted root vegetables. Consider using a sweet potato from a winter market to produce slips, or rooted shoots, to plant in your own garden next summer!

By Margaret Christie

Look for sweet potatoes at a winter farmers’ market near you.

Recipes

Mountain View Farm’s collection of sweet potato recipes is full of tempting ideas. That’s where you’ll find the Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Frittata.

Sweet Potato and Maple Pie from Brookfield Farm

Growing your own

Here’s an article from the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association about growing sweet potatoes in New England. It includes detailed instructions about how to produce your own slips, or rooted shoots, from a sweet potato. Use one grown by a local farmer in order to ensure that it is suited for our climate and has not been treated with growth inhibitors.