Local potatoes come in waves

Last summer Ashley Rodgers left her job as farm manager for Serenbe Farms to start her new venture, Rodgers Greens and Roots Organic Farm in Campbellton, just south of Douglasville. She purchased 60 acres of land, with eight of those acres fronting the Chattahoochee River. Because much of the property is in the river’s flood plain, plans to farm the land and to build a greenhouse, high tunnels and a barn required permits from the Atlanta Regional Commission and Douglas County. Permits in hand, she started planting in January. By the end of April, she had her first produce to sell.

One vegetable she made sure to plant lots of was potatoes. She’s growing potatoes on about an acre and a quarter. She planted potatoes of all kinds: Purple Viking, Yukon Gold, Purple Majesty, All Blue, German Butterball, Carola, Canela and Red Gold and three types of fingerlings.

She says although she may plant many varieties, about half the field is planted with Yukon Gold. “They do the best here and that’s what everyone wants to buy. But people at the markets also like colored potatoes. And the fingerlings make great storage potatoes.”

The farm’s “tons” of potatoes will be ready to harvest in waves. First the Yukon Golds, then the Purple Viking, Purple Majesty, All Blue and Red Gold. The fingerlings come in last. The harvest will happen over six to eight weeks, starting as the farm harvests new potatoes. She expects the farm will harvest about 18,000 pounds of potatoes.

You can buy Rodgers Greens & Roots potatoes at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market or you might find yourself enjoying them at one of your favorite restaurants like Restaurant Eugene, Ecco, King and Duke or The Hil. Her wholesale clients include Peach Dish, Garnish and Gather and The Turnip Truck of Georgia.

As for choosing potatoes at market, Rodgers says it’s pretty simple. “If they look good, they’re going to taste good. Smaller is sometimes better, but that really depends on what you’re cooking.”