High Country Potatoes
The cold highlands weather together with rich red volcanic soils provides an ideal growing environment for potatoes.
John Streatfield has been growing potatoes at Forest Reefs for 43 years. Opting to stay on the family grazing farm, rather than peruse further education, John started growing potatoes to diversify and to provide an income for himself.
He grows three varieties: Sebago: (an all-purpose, round to oval, potato that is main variety grown in NSW. It is best boiled, baked, mashed or dried), Pontiac: a round red-skinned potato with deep eyes and white flesh. It is a waxy potato ideal for purees, grating, baking and boiling and Atlantic: a large oval potato ideally suited for making into chips.
Small potatoes are kept to sprout for seeds and they are planted in November. Harvesting occurs during winter and the potatoes are left in the ground and only harvested when needed.
This works very well for John, as he markets the bulk of his now much smaller production through the regional farmers markets. John does a monthly circuit between Dubbo, Orange, Cowra and Bathurst. He enjoys the markets as it give him the opportunity to sell directly to and meet his customers and also provides a ‘social’ and networking occasion with the other stallholders, many of whom are on the same circuit.
John Streatfield: 6365 5025 mob: 0427201985
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