Your favorite place to buy seed potatoes - Page 3

kktwahoo · January 7, 2008

I forgot to give you the phone number, White Mountain Farm, singular, Paul and I just talked on the phone. 800.364.3019.

We are ordering Yukon Gold, Purple Majesty, All Blue, Benji, Canela (Russet) and German Butterball. All are from them and organic, but German Butterball, which is from another grower and not organic. We also want Red Pontiac, and will order from someone else.

shelleybean · January 19, 2008

Following up on the Milk Ranch/Potatogarden/Ronningers on line order situation. They did take money out of my account so I hope their new site works better than you guys say the old one did. I called them day before yesterday and left a message but have not heard back from them yet. But since the $ was taken out of my account, I'm going to assume the seed potatoes will arrive as expected. Thanks for all the info, guys.

OmahaJB · January 19, 2008

Kent & Kathy,

Thanks. Not sure what else I can do about these allergies & the allergy-induced asthma. I've taken shots with little to no effect. I finally was able to get tested for allergies at 29 (got the runaround from doctors previously for various reasons - a couple thought I had a deviated nasal septum because of the severe swelling which they mistook for the cartilige collapsing, & while in the Navy they kept putting me off from getting tested). The allergist who tested me when I was 29 said it was the worst he'd seen anyone with allergies in 20-30 years. I was allergic to everything, with severe reactions to many of the substances tested for. I took the shots for about 18 months which didn't help.

Fortunately, the Claritin I was prescribed at the time helped alot with the daily headaches & I was able to stop blowing my nose 200 times a day.

So there was some relief. The allergies still affect me greatly in many ways but we have things we have to deal with I guess. I have tried bee pollen which a doctor in Puerto Rico recommended to me once. It didn't seem to help, and in fact when I stopped taking it my allergies seem to bother me even more. I don't know what was going on with that. Maybe the bee pollen helped protect me in case I got stung by a bee but not with anything else.

If you ever come across other 'remedies' I'd be interested in hearing about them. My father had hay fever real bad and in the early 60's a doctor gave him a shot of something he can't recall that helped him for life. Unfortunately, soon after that medicine was banned because of possible health affects. Even though I have year round allergies I also have hay fever so maybe it could have helped some. Like I said though, my father doesn't even remember the name of the medicine. Thanks for offering to look allergy info for me. I doubt you'd find anything that could help though. I may try the bee pollen again just to see if it affects me differently now that I'm older (42).

Michele,

Please let us know if/when you get your potatoes. I'm curious if you do. I may end up forgoing planting potatoes this year and just concentrate mostly on tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, rhubarb, garlic, & melons. I bought a few interesting melons last year and the year before that I'd like to grow out. Orangeglo, Rattlesnake, Kansas, Charentais, and a couple others I can't remember off hand. I wont have room for them all, but if I don't plant potatoes in the ground I'll have a little more than I would have. I'm still pondering though. I may grow a few potatoes in containers. IF I can find anyone who still has what I might want and actually processes my order.

Good luck with your potatoes and the rest of your garden everyone...Jeff

kktwahoo · January 20, 2008

Jeff,

You have PM.

Michele, I am ordering from that other Colorado place, I have more confidence in them. White Mountain Farm.

Good luck!

shelleybean · January 20, 2008

I must be missing something at the White Mountain Farm site. I just see the colors of the potatoes listed, no variety names. If you guys called I'm sure you got more info than they have listed on their site. I specifically wanted Belle de Fontenay and Milk Ranch is the only place in the US I seem to be able to find them, so that's how I've decided on this source for seed potatoes. Now that they've charged me some money, I'm feeling a lot better about my order.

Hope your season goes well, all!

kktwahoo · January 20, 2008

Michele,

Trust me, money talks! I wish you well!

I only looked at White Mountain Farm website once, printed out two pages and have been calling Paul since. I am ready to place an order for us and two friends, so it will be about 100 lbs or so.

You have me on the Belle de Fontenay - what is it like? I am sure Paul will know how to get some, but maybe not - call him?

Keep thinking!

shelleybean · January 20, 2008

I started a thread on Belle de Fontenay here at T-ville in the potato section. Tom Wagner provided a lot of info on it if you're interested in reading it. I wanted an early variety for salads and roasting and this seems to fit the bill. I'm feeling much better about my order now and I'm going to trust that it will arrive on time.

robin303 · January 22, 2008

I really want to try something different this year and grow potatoes in 5 gal buckets. Have any of you guys and gals tried this by chance.

kktwahoo · January 22, 2008

No, but Robin, go to www.gardenrevolution.com - Len Pense in far southern Missouri has 4 x 16 sort of "raised beds" that work well and I bet you can get some ideas from him. He is a nice guy, and a friend of ours lives close to him.

We want to go down and take his one day class, but have not made it yet.

Good luck!

shelleybean · January 22, 2008

Robin, I believe there is a thread from last spring here in the potato section about growing in containers. Some of us used buckets and tubs and some of used those Ben's potato tower things.

robin303 · January 22, 2008

Thanks kktwahoo and shellybean for the info.

kktwahoo · January 22, 2008

Robin, hope you figure something out. It just seems to me that there is not enough room inside a bucket (we have five gallon buckets in mind)?

Len Pense's system would have more room and he has incredible results, also.

Let us know what you figure out!

clarenceboy · January 24, 2008

La Ratte are expensive because they are the most sought after potatoes in the high end restaurant trade. Gardenwise, no one can explain why they are more espensive than Austriant Crescent , for example. But then, can you explain me the price of french shallots? A bit more because of productivity issues I, even up to double the price of regular onions, I can understand, but half a pound for the price of ten pounds of onions...no way. But hey!! this is why we gardeners are lucky fellows...

As for the SSE's seed potato price, take a deep breath...fingerlings have more eyes than most regular potatoes, and SSE's are the best I have seen in my life. That 5 pound bag is suppose to plant roughly 50 feet of row. Hoew about 150 feet? There were so many eyes on the ones I gort last year that I cut these VERY SMALLISH baby potatoes in 2 or 3 and got a bumper harvest anyway. It is almost february, I am a STEAK AND POTATO MAN or whatever with potatoes, and I still have plenty to make it to april, maybe more.

In the 22 years that I have gardened, and my potato harvest was close to a 1000 pounds, just to give you an idea, I NEVER HAD OR SAW SUCH GOOD POTATO SEEDS, WITH SO MANY EYES, WHICH ARE THE NAME OF THE GAME.

robin303 · January 24, 2008

What potatoes do you recommend for Central TX New plant for me and really an experiment. It can be just simple. Really overwhelmed by all the varieties an such.

kktwahoo · January 26, 2008

Robin,

I would go for the standard types, for the most part. We are using Yukon Gold (hybrid), Red Pontiac, German Butterball, Cariba, Canola, All Blue, Purple something or other and maybe one or two others.

Clarence, I agree, SSE has great potato sets, but my understanding is that they do NOT grow them themselves.

January 19, 2008	#32
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Following up on the Milk Ranch/Potatogarden/Ronningers on line order situation. They did take money out of my account so I hope their new site works better than you guys say the old one did. I called them day before yesterday and left a message but have not heard back from them yet. But since the $ was taken out of my account, I'm going to assume the seed potatoes will arrive as expected. Thanks for all the info, guys. __________________ Michele

January 19, 2008	#33
OmahaJB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toledo, OH Posts: 1,821	Your favorite place to buy seed potatoes Kent & Kathy, Thanks. Not sure what else I can do about these allergies & the allergy-induced asthma. I've taken shots with little to no effect. I finally was able to get tested for allergies at 29 (got the runaround from doctors previously for various reasons - a couple thought I had a deviated nasal septum because of the severe swelling which they mistook for the cartilige collapsing, & while in the Navy they kept putting me off from getting tested). The allergist who tested me when I was 29 said it was the worst he'd seen anyone with allergies in 20-30 years. I was allergic to everything, with severe reactions to many of the substances tested for. I took the shots for about 18 months which didn't help. Fortunately, the Claritin I was prescribed at the time helped alot with the daily headaches & I was able to stop blowing my nose 200 times a day. So there was some relief. The allergies still affect me greatly in many ways but we have things we have to deal with I guess. I have tried bee pollen which a doctor in Puerto Rico recommended to me once. It didn't seem to help, and in fact when I stopped taking it my allergies seem to bother me even more. I don't know what was going on with that. Maybe the bee pollen helped protect me in case I got stung by a bee but not with anything else. If you ever come across other 'remedies' I'd be interested in hearing about them. My father had hay fever real bad and in the early 60's a doctor gave him a shot of something he can't recall that helped him for life. Unfortunately, soon after that medicine was banned because of possible health affects. Even though I have year round allergies I also have hay fever so maybe it could have helped some. Like I said though, my father doesn't even remember the name of the medicine. Thanks for offering to look allergy info for me. I doubt you'd find anything that could help though. I may try the bee pollen again just to see if it affects me differently now that I'm older (42). Michele, Please let us know if/when you get your potatoes. I'm curious if you do. I may end up forgoing planting potatoes this year and just concentrate mostly on tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, rhubarb, garlic, & melons. I bought a few interesting melons last year and the year before that I'd like to grow out. Orangeglo, Rattlesnake, Kansas, Charentais, and a couple others I can't remember off hand. I wont have room for them all, but if I don't plant potatoes in the ground I'll have a little more than I would have. I'm still pondering though. I may grow a few potatoes in containers. IF I can find anyone who still has what I might want and actually processes my order. Good luck with your potatoes and the rest of your garden everyone...Jeff

January 20, 2008	#34
kktwahoo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wahoo, Nebraska Posts: 132	Jeff, You have PM. Michele, I am ordering from that other Colorado place, I have more confidence in them. White Mountain Farm. Good luck! __________________ Kent & Kathy, near Wahoo, Nebraska "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." From In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

January 20, 2008	#35
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I must be missing something at the White Mountain Farm site. I just see the colors of the potatoes listed, no variety names. If you guys called I'm sure you got more info than they have listed on their site. I specifically wanted Belle de Fontenay and Milk Ranch is the only place in the US I seem to be able to find them, so that's how I've decided on this source for seed potatoes. Now that they've charged me some money, I'm feeling a lot better about my order. Hope your season goes well, all! __________________ Michele

January 20, 2008	#36
kktwahoo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wahoo, Nebraska Posts: 132	Michele, Trust me, money talks! I wish you well! I only looked at White Mountain Farm website once, printed out two pages and have been calling Paul since. I am ready to place an order for us and two friends, so it will be about 100 lbs or so. You have me on the Belle de Fontenay - what is it like? I am sure Paul will know how to get some, but maybe not - call him? Keep thinking! __________________ Kent & Kathy, near Wahoo, Nebraska "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." From In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

January 7, 2008	#31
kktwahoo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wahoo, Nebraska Posts: 132	I forgot to give you the phone number, White Mountain Farm, singular, Paul and I just talked on the phone. 800.364.3019. We are ordering Yukon Gold, Purple Majesty, All Blue, Benji, Canela (Russet) and German Butterball. All are from them and organic, but German Butterball, which is from another grower and not organic. We also want Red Pontiac, and will order from someone else.

January 22, 2008	#38
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	I really want to try something different this year and grow potatoes in 5 gal buckets. Have any of you guys and gals tried this by chance.

January 24, 2008	#43
clarenceboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ONTARIO Posts: 13	La Ratte are expensive because they are the most sought after potatoes in the high end restaurant trade. Gardenwise, no one can explain why they are more espensive than Austriant Crescent , for example. But then, can you explain me the price of french shallots? A bit more because of productivity issues I, even up to double the price of regular onions, I can understand, but half a pound for the price of ten pounds of onions...no way. But hey!! this is why we gardeners are lucky fellows... As for the SSE's seed potato price, take a deep breath...fingerlings have more eyes than most regular potatoes, and SSE's are the best I have seen in my life. That 5 pound bag is suppose to plant roughly 50 feet of row. Hoew about 150 feet? There were so many eyes on the ones I gort last year that I cut these VERY SMALLISH baby potatoes in 2 or 3 and got a bumper harvest anyway. It is almost february, I am a STEAK AND POTATO MAN or whatever with potatoes, and I still have plenty to make it to april, maybe more. In the 22 years that I have gardened, and my potato harvest was close to a 1000 pounds, just to give you an idea, I NEVER HAD OR SAW SUCH GOOD POTATO SEEDS, WITH SO MANY EYES, WHICH ARE THE NAME OF THE GAME.

January 26, 2008	#45
kktwahoo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wahoo, Nebraska Posts: 132	Robin, I would go for the standard types, for the most part. We are using Yukon Gold (hybrid), Red Pontiac, German Butterball, Cariba, Canola, All Blue, Purple something or other and maybe one or two others. Clarence, I agree, SSE has great potato sets, but my understanding is that they do NOT grow them themselves. __________________ Kent & Kathy, near Wahoo, Nebraska "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." From In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan