Hey neighbors! Bridget Walsh, our Food Is Medicine Coordinator, and Laura Robinson, our Youth Market & Garden Manager, are teaming up to bring you something special! We are so excited to offer a new series of seasonal recipes and gardening tips for our community! For the month of October, we are bringing you sweet potatoes from the garden, and a delicious Sweet Potato Hash in the kitchen.

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FROM THE GARDEN

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Sweet potatoes are an easy, hands-off crop with big rewards! Follow these simple steps to grow your own at home:

Sweet potatoes are grown from "slips", not seeds, and while these can typically be found at local nurseries, they are really easy to start yourself. See our slips section below for more information!

1. SITE SELECTION:

Find a spot in your yard that has full sun (at least 8 hours) where the soil is loose and nutrient rich. Compost is a great way to amend your soil. Sweet potato stems grow 10'+ in a single season, so make sure you consider this when choosing a spot to plant.

2. PLANTING & CARE:

Once the soil has is consistently above 65 degrees - usually end of May or early June in our area - plant slips 12-18" apart, in rows that are a couple feet apart, to give ample room for tuber development.Water consistently for the first few weeks, then ensure the plants get at least 1" of water per week for the remainder of the growing period.

3. GROWING:

While you are waiting for the sweet potatoes to mature, you can enjoy some (not all!) of the sweet potato leaves, cooking them like you would spinach. As the sweet potatoes start to mature, they may grow above the soil surface. Simply cover with soil to keep them out of direct sunlight.

4. HARVESTING:

Sweet potatoes are ready to harvest in about 100 days. If the soil is loose enough, you may be able to dig them out by hand. If not, place a garden fork about a foot away from the plant and lift them gently out from underneath. Be sure to harvest before the first frost, which is typically the end of October or early November.

5. CURING & STORAGE:

Now your sweet potatoes are ready to store for up to 6 months.

Once harvested, it is essential to cure the sweet potatoes. Leave them in a warm, humid environment, out of direct sunlight, for 10 days or so. This will harden the skin, healing over any minor wounds. It also converts starches to sugars, enhancing the sweetness.

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How to start your own sweet potato slips:

- Purchase organic sweet potatoes from the grocery store to ensure they weren't treated to prevent sprouting. Just one or two potatoes should suffice as each one will provide many slips.

- Fill a shallow tray or container with damp potting mix.

- Lay the sweet potato sideways and bury it about halfway with soil.

- Keep the soil warm (around 75°F–85°F) using a heat mat or sunny spot and keep it lightly moist.

- Wait 3 to 6 weeks until the sprouts reach 5 to 6 inches in height.

- Gently twist or cut the slips away from the mother potato.

- Place the cut ends in a jar of water for 3 to 5 days until fine roots form, then plant them in your garden after all danger of frost has passed.

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IN THE KITCHEN

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Sweet Potato Hash

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For this lovely hash, you can substitute breakfast sausage with plant-based protein for a vegetarian / vegan option. Add additional vegetables to the skillet when cooking the bell pepper for added nutrient density. Mushrooms, peppers, or even carrots could be a yummy addition! Store in a container with lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and re-heat leftovers as desired. Here's the link to a printable version of the recipe!

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Ingredients:

·      1.5 lbs Sweet Potatoes (~2 medium sweet potatoes)

·      8oz Breakfast Sausage

·      1 Onion

·      1 Bell Pepper

·      ½ TBS Oil

·      1 tsp Salt

·      ½  tsp Black Pepper

·      ½  tsp Garlic Powder

·      ½  tsp Smoked Paprika

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Directions:

1.      Wash, peel, and dice the sweet potatoes.

2.      Dice the onion and the bell pepper and set aside.

3.      In a skillet, crumble the breakfast sausage and cook over medium heat. Cook the sausage until it’s almost completely browned. Add the diced onion and continue cooking until the sausage is fully browned. Remove the sausage and onions to a separate plate and set aside.

4.      In the same skillet, add the oil and the diced sweet potatoes. Cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally. Don’t worry if the sweet potatoes are not fork tender during this time as they will continue to cook.

5.      Add the diced bell pepper, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to the skillet. Stir together with the sweet potatoes. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

6.      Add the cooked sausage and onions back to the skillet and combine with the sweet potatoes and peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

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