HUGE 2023 POTATO Harvest | How I get BIG yields on our 1/4 Acre Homestead

Hi Friend, Potatoes are my favorite thing to grow in my homestead garden, and it was a HUGE Harvest for 2023. It's a treasure hunt for spuds!
I focused mainly on crops that would store or preserve well this year and potatoes was at the top of the list. I'll let you in on how I successfully grow 100's of pounds of potatoes here on our 1/4-acre homestead.
Thanks for watching!
Kelsey
ForJars affiliate link: forjars.co?sca_ref=3685763.xi1oyUHLai
Code: SEEDANDSPARROW10 for 10% off
Freeze Fresh Book: amzn.to/3qLH4uT
Harvest Right Freeze Dryer Affiliate link: affiliates.harvestright.com/2...
Purchasing through this link will give me a small commission that will help support this channel :)
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: www.amazon.com/shop/seedandsp...
(You don't need to purchase anything from my storefront, but by clicking this link and purchasing things already in your cart, I will receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you!)
Links to my favorite kitchen items:
freezer containers: amzn.to/3rVIyDt
amzn.to/3rZ2Mwb
Mason Jar Pour Spout: amzn.to/43v7PSI
Immersion Blender: amzn.to/43z0K3X
All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving: amzn.to/3KwTPBs
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: amzn.to/3INp3mK
Canning Tool Kit: amzn.to/3KvqrLL
All American Canner: amzn.to/3ZehPgN
Presto Pressure Canner: amzn.to/3InsGhF
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls: amzn.to/3YUVTra
Kitchen Scale: amzn.to/41lFlu4
Copper Measuring Cups and Spoons amzn.to/3nmISZN
Apron: amzn.to/3J5PSRJ
French Rolling Pin: amzn.to/3IVrXoc
Label Maker amzn.to/3IJUVao
Plastic Mason jar lids amzn.to/3kDMOEu
Danish Dough Whisk: amzn.to/3oawvAp
Egg Holder: amzn.to/3ZBYZjj
Canning Tool Kit: amzn.to/3KvqrLL
All American Canner: amzn.to/3ZehPgN
Presto Pressure Canner: amzn.to/3InsGhF
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls: amzn.to/3YUVTra
Crock Pot: amzn.to/3TBhRhh
Kitchen Thermometer: amzn.to/40sgFPp
Cheese Cloth: amzn.to/3LL31CI
Wooden Cooking Utensils: I can't find the ones I have but these are similar! amzn.to/42LLCQG
Pie plates: amzn.to/3ZB9YdL
Waffle Maker: The one I have isn't made anymore, but here is another with good reviews and has a smaller profile!: amzn.to/3T5h9bW
Silicone muffin pan: amzn.to/3mCvLTY
Cast Iron Skillet: amzn.to/3liMrix
Electric Roaster: amzn.to/3WebzFH Mine isn't in stock right now!
My favorite garden tools:
Gorilla garden cart: amzn.to/3yL5kxY
Hori Hori tool: amzn.to/3yHhfNc
Weeding Sickle: amzn.to/3ZUmzJ8
Garden Hoe: amzn.to/3JpVlDa
Weed barrier: amzn.to/3yJGJJT
kneeling pad: amzn.to/3TmRXNV
* All links are affiliate links. It is no extra cost to you to use them and in doing so you are supporting this channel and my family. Thank you!
#homesteading #gardening #harvesting #everybitcountschallenge #potatoharvesting

[@vickimoore7646]

I not a gardener but love your videos. It didnt look like the foliage had died back. I thought that was a sign potatoes were ready to harvest. Am I wrong?

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

I'm so glad you are enjoying them! Yes and No. You can harvest the potatoes as early as 3 weeks after they have flowered for a "new" potato for fresh eating. Waiting longer or until the plants have died back will give you "storage" potatoes. I harvested some early and some after they had died back. I wanted some space to plant a 2nd round of potatoes and they needed to come out. I also had some bug damage happening and harvested a bit earlier than I would have had there not been any bugs!

[@vickimoore7646]

@seedandsparrowhomestead thank you so much...I am learning a lot!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

@@wendystock7022 haha! Ya know I really do. I've been looking for a vintage one for awhile now but may have to just buy new. Although I foresee a lot of stabbed potatoes in the future if I use one lol.

[@rosabandera_home]

​@@seedandsparrowhomesteadmy father always finds garden tools at our local flea market for a few dollars. He buys something almost every time he goes 😂

[@sarah_farm]

I am always fascinated on how you turned something into many kind of dishes. They are so mouth watering 🤤! And it's an honor to have you visit our channel, we can discuss more about our experiences in harvesting and building farms.

[@janiceeccleston6280]

Hi Kelsey your channel is a prime example to people that you don’t need huge spaces to grow food for your family.Just look at what you produce from a quarter of an acre simply AMAZING out there digging in the dirt with your bare hands it not only feeds your family but I think in a strange way it feeds your soul.Hope your feeling better Take care.

[@cydney3283]

I love hearing your children enjoying the garden. Raising them with a garden is special.

[@Julie-ci9ve]

I got my biggest potato harvest this year using new to me varieties. I planted 10 lbs of red norland, and I harvested 75. 10 lbs of Kennebec = 115 lbs harvested! I'm in Northern IN 5b with heavy clay soil. I watered in May, but didn't touch them again til harvest. I have never had much luck with potatoes before, but they're my favorite thing to harvest even when I don't get much lol.

[@ritagoertz8939]

Ellenora knows her bugs. I think gardening is a wonderful experience for young children. It gives them opportunities to explore and learn in a self directed way. I believe it enhances and encourages their learning experience.

[@helennorvell9560]

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed getting down in the dirt with you since I am unable to do it myself anymore. Congrats on a marvelous harvest. Thank you for not speeding up the camera. You made my day!

[@carolyngregory9354]

The fruits of your labors were bountiful. I enjoyed watching you and hubby dig your potatoes. Good job.

[@danniemcdonald7675]

It actually *was like a treasure hunt! Many goodies to be found. Can't wait to see what you do with them.

[@lynnclendenin2988]

I love your channel. I am growing potatoes for the first time this year. Since our soil is horrible, I’m growing everything in either a grow bag or raised bed. Potatoes are in grow bags. I am excited for my first harvest. I’m going to plant sweet potatoes, too, for the first time.

[@theresas709]

You are a lot more gentle than I am. I just take a pitch fork and flip each plant. I also had a good year for pot.

[@lisanowakow3688]

Thank you for sharing your harvest!

[@michellejaggard9657]

I love the Ruth Stout method. Every year the bed just gets better and better planting on the last years straw and adding new straw on top and topping up.

[@claireskinner9077]

Considering the conditions you were dealing with that’s a pretty impressive harvest!!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thanks! I'd love one year if I could get some more ideal conditions lol!

[@miriahmono5297]

I really think next year I want to try and grow potatoes in my porch pots. It just seems so fun. When you "hill" them do you just cover the leaves and everything with more dirt? This is so fun to watch!

[@debbieorazi2518]

I love potato harvests, it's like a hidden treasure hunt!

[@journeywithnichole]

Spectacular harvest! How fun. I eat potatoes several times a week & definitely look forward to planting some next spring. Thanks for the inspiration! ❤

[@lemoncrinckles]

Of all the vegetables I get most excited about harvesting (or seeing being harvested) potatoes are tops...with green beans and tomatoes a distant 2nd and 3rd. You're right, it is like a treasure hunt. Thanks for sharing the joy. And enjoy your beautiful harvest!

[@marieparks5674]

I used to love digging potatoes.I loved digging with my hands when I could.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Me too! I love getting my hands in the dirt ☺️

[@kimfowler6132]

Goals!! You are so inspiring! ❤

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Awe thank you so much! 🤍🤍🤍

[@cherylpresleigh6403]

We had the best potato harvest in this our 4th garden year. Our first year was in large planter pots that I had laying around. It produced a few but the containers were heavy with dirt and it was difficult to harvest them. Year two we used grow bags and we won’t do those again either. Last year we did potatoes in one 5x5 raised bed and I was happy with the harvest. It was minimal but so was the planting of seed potatoes. This year we did another 5x5 raised bed and three 2x6 raised beds. By far we had the best harvest yet! Very happy and like you we will continue with the raised bed means of growing potatoes. One BIG mistake we made in year one of gardening was filling raised beds with top soil…rookie mistake as the dirt became very compact. Since then, as we’ve added new beds we have been filling with compost/soil and it’s been much better right from the start. Do you have any recommendations for ways to mediate the beds that have large amounts of top soil? I’m excited to see how you preserve the potatoes as much as I’m excited to have some of my own to actually work with! Thank you, Kelsey, may your day be blessed!

[@pjb2773]

Two hundred pounds of potatoes is nothing to sneer at. That's more than enough.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

I'm pleased with the yield! We are big potato eaters over here and my goal is to not have to purchase any at the store :)

[@languagelynnie]

Your husband helped - what a keeper! I can't get my husband to do that. Congratulations on a great potato harvest. It's useful to compare notes and understand that it's okay to have potatoes in different sizes. I thought I was doing something wrong but that seems to be normal. Also, what's your favourite way of preserving them? I love blanching and dehydrating them. They turn out great in soups and stews!

[@tamramuse5136]

Haha the worm harvesting is quite entertaining 😂. I have a 6 year old niece that is exactly same. Wherever we are she will suddenly bend down and come up with snakes, frogs, what ever. I have no idea how she always spots them

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Sounds just like my girl! She’s a good balance of girly and tomboy. Picks flowers and searches for bugs while wearing a dress and talking about digestive system of worms 😂

[@brandynash1409]

My girls are the same way! They live in dresses, but run the creeks, baby dolls in tow, with my boys and come home with a pocket full of frogs!

[@patriciasimons7860]

Beautiful harvest, such big petatos. I'm a 4th year gardener but never had such big petatos. I would like to know how you get such loose soil. I'm struggling with that. I still have so much to learn about gardening and enjoy doing it. Love your enthousiasme and the twinkel in your eyes when you share it all. Thx Patricia from Belgium 😘👌👏

[@MommaOG]

Wow what a beautiful harvest, ty for showing us 🙂❤️

[@Feddhomestead]

Thatscan awesome hatvest! Your garden harvest thus far has been amazing! You are very inspiring!!❤

[@lynsmith2698]

I so enjoyed your video, it was very relaxing. I haven’t harvested our spuds yet but probably in the next week I would imagine. Thanks so much 💐🇨🇦

[@iartistdotme]

Seems like for every potato you got 6 back! That is really good production. I loved watching you grub for them - always exciting.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

On average yes! I think the most we got from one potato was 16! Super pleased with it. Thanks for watching :)

[@stephencameron1709]

What a wonderful harvest. Great job! Val C

[@lindakrieger6667]

Wow is all I can say! ❤️

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

❤️❤️❤️

[@judydiedrich9937]

Great job. Wonderful harvest.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you ☺️

[@sherrymahsburn4317]

Well done. I usually wait for 25 lb bags of red potatoes to go on sale and I buy about 100 lbs and can them

[@brandynash1409]

I do the same thing when I need more potatoes, but I garden for the flavor and love my fresh potatoes!

[@sherrymahsburn4317]

@brandynash1409 I'm hoping to have another garden this year. But with the way I work I just haven't had the time or energy

[@brandynash1409]

@@sherrymahsburn4317 I completely understand!

[@bearzhere]

Great harvest! MN here and we have dug up the potatoes I saved and they were dug as new potatoes. The ones I bought and planted we still have about two weeks to go till we dig! I miss the longer growing days but we make it work! I never grew superior white potatoes but they sure did look nice! Fantastic as usual on your video!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you so much! This season is flying by, I can’t believe September is almost here! The superior white variety is great around here and stores well!

[@suenavivedisfruta558]

Nice harvest. ❤😊

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you ☺️ 🤍

[@justpatty7328]

Fantastic harvest! I enjoyed watching your treasure hunt!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much ☺️

[@juliedayton8754]

Such a fantastic yield!! I also dig < see what I did there...the awesome 👌LOTR reference ☺️☺️☺️😍😍 Well done, sister!

[@angelenerash5160]

Regular and sweet potatoes are usually my favorites for all the surprises you can find but I found myself squealing like a little girl yesterday diggin my first good harvest of carrots 😂 I totally understand your joy in digging these treasures! Great job Kelsey!! Thanks for sharing!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

oh carrots are so fun too! Especially when you finally get some good ones! Sooo satisfying :) Thanks for watching friend

[@user-vd2xe5kn9c]

I enjoyed watching you harvest every time❤ I'm not great on watering my plants either. You plant and God do the rest❤👍

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you ❤️ absolutely, my garden is entirely in the Lords hands after that first month of babying them 😂

[@59kuphoff]

Great harvest for such an unprecedented summer drought. Did you find more green potatoes with the Ruth Stout method?

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you! I was so pleased :). YES! Even with hilling and going and covering whenever Id see them poke through I ended up with so many green potatoes! Another draw back for them method for me.

[@judydiedrich9937]

Great job. Eonderfu crop.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you ☺️

[@BuellaPearl515]

New to gardening here. Love love your content & hearing the kids laugh & talk in the background ❤️ Are you interplanting those potatoes with companion plants? It looked like some were mixed in bed with other plants or your approach to where to plant. 😊

[@ruthannecoro6198]

Great harvest! You can use green potato’s for seed 😊

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Really?! That Would be awesome! Thanks 😊

[@ruthannecoro6198]

@@seedandsparrowhomestead sure can! It’s solanine from sun exposure..can upset your stomach but doesn’t affect it as seed.

[@barbjarvi6543]

Hi girl

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Hey Barb!

[@dawnmeador1266]

I'm planning to put in new raised beds this year - late fall into early winter. I will fill the beds with top soil(rich dirt) from another area on our land. Is it ok to add and mix in chicken and/or goat manure that I have piled from cleaning their areas over the last few years?

[@carenmcfarland7034]

I wonder if the ghost worms Eleanor was finding were Asian Jumping Worms. Do you have them in your area? I’m trying to get better at identifying them because I’m pretty sure I have some in my garden. I’m in central coastal California.

[@nancyrasmussen2016]

Which method was the easiest? Did you fertilize them at all. You got a great harvest! Nancy from nebraska

[@carolynrandle5454]

You can can potatoes .

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Yes! I plan on that. Last year I canned about 30 quarts of potatoes! I LOVE having them in my pantry, it makes using them in meals a breeze :)

[@MsLisaBrooks]

Amazing harvest. Aren’t the green ones poisonous?

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you! Yes and no, if a part is green it doesn’t make the whole thing toxic, I cut off the green and eat the rest.

[@baderi1747]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😂❤

[@djh-vevo8726]

Here in north africa we only have hybrid seeds we dont have this kind of potatoes who can send me some seeds i'd love to grow this variety

[@almostoily7541]

Seed potatoes and potato seeds are two different things. Seed potatoes are either whole potatoes or pieces of potatoes one would plant. Potato seeds are usually called true potato seeds or TPS. Most don't come true to the parents, although I have seen some named varieties for sale. It's hard to find TPS here in the US and they are expensive. I personally ordered from a seed company overseas and the first small order was great. Then, I put in a larger order and it was confiscated by customs. I didn't get the seeds or my money back. I'd definitely only put in a small order if you have to order from another country.

[@djh-vevo8726]

@@almostoily7541 i'm talking just about the tubers not TPS and it not hard to get TPS, just plant any variety you want and let it flowring its about 45 days from start came up from soil, i did it 3 years ago and i collect them but till now didn't plant it yet i didnt find the right time to do it i always forget it

[@almostoily7541]

@@djh-vevo8726 not all varieties of potatoes have seeds that germinate. Some are sterile. I can't remember which ones. I ordered TPS and planted them. I was called away to help care for family that had gotten injured. None made it until I got home. Now I can't find any. They are sold out. But I have seed potatoes planted. I'm going to try to start the seeds from those and see if they make anything.

[@djh-vevo8726]

@@almostoily7541 Almost varieties that i know they do, you have to fertilizing it good and spray with micro nutrient and calcium boron i guarantee that will produce TPS

[@Ms.Byrd68]

First off, BEAUTIFUL HARVEST! I'm happy for you & yours! But I must ask what you mean when you say you didn't FERTILIZE your potatoes? When you say, your Beds were ESTABLISHED do you mean you had already used good soil that was fertilized either on it's own or that you spent a couple of Seasons AMENDING the soil so you had no reason to add ADDITIONAL fertilization? Some of your new viewers may take what is said and assume you did NOTHING to your raised beds AT ALL, unless of course that IS what your saying?

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you!!! Sure, I can explain further. I don't fertilize anything in my garden as some would. By fertilize I mean add an NPK granule, powder or liquid fertilizer, no fish emulsion, stuff like that. The only time I add something is if I see signs it needs a boost, like yellow leaves or stunted growth, and then I only add organic and natural fertilizer, none of the synthetic stuff. I rely on soil health to sustain plants and produce a harvest. Once a year I add mushroom soil(compost) and occasionally Composted chicken manure. We mulch with aged wood chips. Established means I've been adding compost and organic matter(leaves, mulch) to build it up over a few seasons to the point where the soil has been transformed from clay heavy, unworkable and lacking in nutrients to a very healthy, loamy and nutrient dense soil. You can often tell soil has what it needs to grow and produce good yields by the life you see in it, like worms and bugs. Once beds are established all I do is add about an inch of compost in the spring and call it good. Hopefully that explains it better?

[@Ms.Byrd68]

@@seedandsparrowhomestead Yes it does. I'm in the South dealing with 'Clay' too so I get it, you improved your Soil over time but do not (did not) add ADDITIONAL fertilizers to it. Thank you!