GIVING A BOOST WITH ORGANIC INOCULANTS TO WARMED-UP SEED POTATOES. We’re big believers in the value of Greenspounting the Certified Seed Potatoes we plant on Wood Prairie Family Farm.
So, all 25,000 pounds of Certified Seed we need for our own planting undergoes this beneficial – yet optional – seed pre-conditioning procedure.
After grading over the Seed tubers, we warm them up to 75ºF in our Hot Room for a week or so in order to break dormancy. Then, next step to is to cool the seed down to 50-55ºF and expose the warmed tubers to light. While inspecting the Seed a second time, we apply our own mixture of special Organic Biological Seed Inoculants to the sprouted tubers.
In this photo, using his right foot to engage the foot-pedal-control of the conveyer belt on the red ‘Haines’ hopper, Caleb controls the tuber flow.
If you look closely you can see two spray nozzles doing their job dispensing the inoculants as Seed tubers roll over and over on the ‘Roller Table.’ The goal is to wet 100% of the tuber surface with the inoculants solution.
At the end of the line, Justin fills Tulip Crates with spuds and stacks crates onto awaiting pallets for transfer into the Light Shed.
In Northern Maine we’re still emerging from Winter and some nights still hover near the freezing mark. This morning there are a few snowflakes in the air and soil temp has stalled at 44ºF. We like to plant Potatoes when the soil at 4” depth hits 50ºF, readings taken at 7am before temps get skewed by the sun. Caleb, Megan & Jim
