I want to grow food in a field.

[PaulO]

Hello, this is my first post here. My brother is a member here and recommended I see if folks here have ideas for what I'm trying to do.

I want to grow as much of my own food as I can, and save seeds.

I have a several acre field that has been farmed for generations. It is in South Carolina, the dirt is mostly sand and silt. There won't be irrigation. I don't have a truck to haul in loads of organic material. I do have a wheelbarrow and access to woods.

After a year and half of attempting to grow what I can, I had a soil test done in the tallest weeds of the field and in the area that has bare dirt spots, representing the best and worst of the field. To give you an idea of what I'm working with, here are two samples taken about 150 feet apart:



When I began planting last year, I was sowing after a cotton harvest and couldn't tell which parts of the field were better than others. My garden ended up being closer to the bad part of the field, but not in the worst of it. I will be moving my garden closer to the good dirt next year.

I don't care too much what I grow as long as it is healthy. For example, I can grow purslane but want to limit how much oxalic acid I take in so I would like a variety of stuff.

Here is what I have been able to grow well:
- winter squash (two varieties have done well)
- black-eyed peas (two varieties have done well)
- watermelon (Black Diamond Yellow Belly did good, Crimson Sweet not so good)
- zucchini (amazing germination from Black Beauty)
- tomato (some variety with tiny tomatoes my brother gave me)
- purslane (one type did better than the other)

What has grown so-so:
- potato
- rosemary
- basil
- okra
- collards
- mustard greens
- carrot (none of three varieties did great)
- radish (none of three varieties did great)

From these I got about one plant from each seed pack, and it may or may not have lived long enough to produce anything:
- cucumber (tried two varieties)
- pepper (tried three varieties)
- kale

Romaine lettuce grew where none of the other lettuces did, but it is very, very bitter. Almost too bitter to eat. I think that could be from the lack of water.

The list of things that haven't germinated at all is lengthy. The soil is poor. I'm working with it, but it takes time to build it up, especially without spending a lot of money.

Why am I posting all of this? I'm looking for seeds and varieties that folks think will be easy to grow. Last year I called Park Seed and talked to a Customer Rep, but I don't think she really understood what I was looking for. Her suggestions weren't very good. I don't care too much what it is, although ideally it would be less domesticated varieties of fruits and vegetables for general health reasons.

One specific food I would like to grow well is potato. So far I've tried (in order of how well they did, from worst to best) Reddale, Yukon Gold, and Purple Viking. Does anyone know of a potato that can do well in poor soil with drought and heat? I may repost this last question in the potato forum to see if Mr. Wagner has any seeds that fit the bill.

Appreciate the help!

Sincerely,
- PaulO