Growing Sweet Potatoes

This year for the first time I am growing sweet potatoes in my organic garden. I never thought it would be possible.

A few years ago I attended the Seed Savers convention in Decorah, Iowa and listened to a presentation by Glenn Drowns from Sand Hill Preservation Center.

He encouraged us to give sweet potatoes a try in our gardens. Success would be ours if we grew the right variety for our own growing area.

Glenn bred the early maturing Blacktail Mountain Watermelon in the 1970's. He currently owns the Sand Hill Preservation Center in Iowa and breeds and sells heritage poultry,seeds,roots and an amazing selection of sweet potato slips.

Glenn's talk inspired me to contact him and purchase some sweet potato slips. I bought a mixed selection called the Northern Special - for the shortest growing season.

We planted the slips and mulched them with black plastic, both for extra heat which the sweet potatoes like and to help keep the weeds down.

The vines grew all summer.

Just before the first frost we dug them up and discovered that we had two colors of sweet potatoes - one yellow and one white.Our experiment in growing sweet potatoes was as success!

And both varieties turned yellow when cooked!

I often fix baked sweet potatoes-baked just like a regular potato, but my favorite way to use them is to make a Weight Watcher's recipe called Leek and Sweet Potato Soup. It is very quick and easy.

I have made several batches and stored them in the freezer for winter lunches.

Leek and Sweet Potato Soup

• 2 32 oz cartons of reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
• 3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 2 T minced chives or parsley

Combine broth,potatoes,leeks, salt and pepper in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until vegetables are very soft-about 30 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and cool uncovered about 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to blender or food processor and puree. Return to pan and cook,stirring, until heated through-about 5 minutes.

Serve with sprinkle of chives or parsley.

Stores well in fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for later use.