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Extra Winter Foods for Chickens
As winter descends on our farm and the grass is covered with snow, the chickens typically choose to stay inside of their cozy, covered run. Since they aren’t getting any foraged food during this time, I supplement their diet with storage crops from the garden that would otherwise go straight to the compost. One example…
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How I Store Potatoes All Winter Long
Storing potatoes through the winter can be really frustrating for anyone who does not have a traditional, underground root cellar. I tried storing them in the coldest room in the house and I made sure to wrap them well inside of the cardboard boxes that allowed no light to get in. Unfortunately, the potatoes were…
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A Beginner’s Guide to True Potato Seeds (TPS)
Understanding True Potato Seeds The acronym ‘TPS’ stands for True Potato Seeds. These are not your typical potato seed tubers that are commonly sold to gardeners. TPS comes from the botanical fruit of the potato plant; a fruit that resembles a cluster of berries or cherry tomatoes. Although they look very similar to green cherry…
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How Chickens Transform Our Farm
Chickens help to make our farm more sustainable. Chickens do a great job of balancing inputs and outputs on the farm. At Eastbrook Farm, our hens are not just a source of eggs. We work with them to turn “waste” into a valued output. By recognizing and supporting their natural instincts, the chickens live better…
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From Garden to Farm: Potatoes, Chickens, and Joyful Cultivation
I am an enthusiastic gardener turned farmer who loves sharing the fruits of my labor with anyone who enjoys participating in the abundant cycles of nature. All vegetables and fruits are welcome here but one of my greatest joys is growing potatoes. They are a staple in my winter meals, they are fun to grow…
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Lofthouse TPS
I planted 7 seedlings grown from Joseph Lofthouse’s TPS. I’m hoping that they will produce lots of potato berries. The past two years have been somewhat disappointing for harvesting TPS because my potatoes either did not set berries or dropped them before maturing the seeds.
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TPS and Seed Potatoes for 2019
Last year, my potatoes did not set any true seed. They were also quite overwhelmed with weeds by the end of the season. This year, I will be growing all of my potatoes in pots. I plan to grow 10 TPS plants from Joseph Lofthouse’s seeds. I will also be growing Dark Red Norland, Daisy Gold…
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Growing Potatoes in 2018
This year, I am not growing potatoes from TPS due to time and space constraints. I hope to grow more TPS potatoes in 2019. I am growing the following varieties from tubers: Yukon Gold German Butterball Desiree Strawberry Paw Adirondack Blue
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FL Fingerling TPS Harvest
In 2015, I bought some red-fleshed fingerling potatoes while on vacation in Florida. I brought two tubers home and planted them in 2015. This plant is from TPS that was produced by those tubers.