Harvesting Potatoes

This year Curt was asked to help harvest potatoes before the sugar beet harvest starts, so we got to the farm September 21st. They were hoping to start sooner, but it had been raining. They want some moisture with potatoes though so the skin doesn’t scuff off, so they have watering sprays on the harvester and on the Clodhopper (separates the potatoes from the dirt, rocks, etc.) and conveyor belts.

You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.



I went to the field to ride in the semi with Curt for a round to see how they’re harvested. Mike, the owner, asked if I wanted to ride in the tractor with him as you can see what’s going on a lot better. After the trucks are loaded, they tarp the the trucks so the potatoes don’t dry out so the skins don’t scuff off. Then they take them to the warehouse in Grand Forks, Associated Potato Growers Inc. They are a grower-owned cooperative and distribute potatoes throughout the US. There water is added as needed also. 



They started harvest on the 23rd and finished on October 1st. Luckily the weather cooperated.