The activities of our potato year are part of a project funded by an NCSARE Partnership Grant called "Addressing knowledge gaps in animal traction for vegetable production and forest management on Midwest farms".
One of the objectives of this project is to develop and implement animal traction-based research and demonstration plots at Purdue University. The plan was to be able to showcase the use of animal traction in sustainable vegetable production and reach more current and aspiring animal powered farmers. We also wanted to scientifically measure the economic, environmental, and social sustainability impacts on the use of animal traction in sustainable vegetable production. An old horse drawn potato plow was already in the research farm systems and we were able to located a McCormick straddle row cultivator at the annual Southern Kentucky Horse Drawn Machinery Auction for $350 USD. We also found an old walk behind potato plow from a local person here in Indiana for $100 USD.
We are growing three varieties of potatoes Huckleberry, Yukon Gold, and Gold Rush sourced from High Mowing Seeds. The animal traction treatment was planted on June 12th with the horse drawn potato planter pulled behind a pioneer forecart with two Percherons (John and Cash) owned by Kris Acheson Claire. A local teamster and fellow Purdue employee who is collaborating on this project. We hilled the potatoes in the animal traction system twice, once on 20 July and once on 3 August with the McCormick outfitted with hilling discs from AgriSupply.
This project is a partnership grant which means this proposal was developed with several current and aspiring animal powered farmers in different parts of the Midwest. The goal is to work together to develop the research and extension materials. In addition, we are also partnering with The Farm and Forest Institute in KY, US and Tillers international, MI US to provide collaborating farmers with hands on training to improve or expand their farming with draft animal skills. The project is currently in its first year of implementation.
Pictures of planting and hilling with horses as draft animals
Planting:
Hilling:
Text by Dr. Moriah Bilenky, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Horticulture
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Purdue University
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