Järva County farmer has already planted this year's first potatoes
Farmers took advantage of this past weekend's beautiful weather to get some work done, and in Järva County, that meant the first potatoes of the year were in the ground before the end of March.
In the Türi Municipality village of Laupa, farmer Janno Lõhmus grows not just strawberries and peas, but also early season potatoes. While large-scale potato planting typically begins in the second half of April or early May, Lõhmus Organic Farm usually gets started planting early potatoes by the end of March.
"I want to have potatoes ready for sale together with strawberries by Midsummer," Lõhmus explained. "And that's why they need to be planted earlier. I use a heat blower to warm up the cellar a little, which helps the small sprouts emerge. Then I have to work the soil a bit with a tractor — dry it out, so to speak — so it's not too wet. You can do this on small plots; you don't do this on large plots."
On Saturday, Lõhmus Organic Farm planted 0.4 hectares of pre-sprouted, frost-resistant "Arielle" tubers. Once the overnight frosts in the forecast have passed, the early season "Flavia" will be planted as well.
"At first, you plant the potatoes deeper so the frost doesn't get to them, then later you adjust the ridges lower, depending on conditions," the farmer explained. "It depends on the year — you have to be like some kind of fortune teller."
Growing early organic potatoes requires a lot of extra work, as weeds that start thriving under the row cover have to be removed manually, with a hoe. To avoid damaging the potato's ultra-thin skin, the early crop is harvested by hand as well.
In the lead-up to Midsummer, Lõhmus Organic Farm typically sells its fresh new potatoes for €3-5 per kilogram.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Aili Vahtla
