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Locally Grown Sweet Potatoes Add a Fat-Free, Nutritional Boost

January 23, 2017 By marketeditor

By Mary Peryea

Did you know that the sweet potato is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. This orange tuber offers an unsurpassed source of beta carotene; providing 214 percent of the daily requirement for Vitamin A in a single cup serving; and a significant source of Vitamin C, manganese, Vitamin B6, and potassium. That single cup serving contains only 180 calories and no fat.

Pleasant Valley's stand. Photo by Pattie Garrett
Pleasant Valley’s stand. Photo by Pattie Garrett.

Paul Arnold, of Pleasant Valley Farm, is one of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market vendors who sells sweet potatoes throughout the winter. Arnold began growing sweet potatoes about eight years ago. He sees them as a good crop to push through the long winter months until April. In May, he plants the next crop.

Sweet potatoes like loose sandy soil and warm weather. Ideally, the soil temperature should be above 50 degrees. That can be a challenge in our regions and helps explain why most sweet potatoes grown commercially come from the South.

In May, “slips” – or plants with no roots cut from last year’s harvest of sweet potatoes – are planted. They grow until late September, when cooler temperatures begin to prevail. Then, a “bed lifter” pulled by a tractor loosens the soil in the fields and the sweet potatoes are pulled up by hand. The sweet potatoes can’t be harvested by machine because they skin too easily.

After the harvest, the sweet potatoes are cured for five days at a temperature of 90 degrees. In the South, they can be left in the fields to cure. Here, they require some help. Pleasant Valley Farm has a room dedicated to storing winter squash and sweet potatoes, which require similar conditions. This process of curing turns the potatoes’ starch to sugar, sweetening them up.

Following the curing, sweet potatoes are stored at 55 to 60 degrees, with a humidity of 70 per cent. The storage room at Pleasant Valley Farm is heated, insulated, and dehumidified. In this environment, sweet potatoes can be stored for up to eight months.

What’s the best way to eat a sweet potato? For Arnold, the answer is like candy – almost. Steam the potatoes until soft, then slice or mash and eat them plain. Their inherent sweetness shines through.

Visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Baths Building in the Saratoga Spa State Park.


 

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Sweet Potato Fries with Yogurt Honey Dip

Adapted from recipe in Cooking Light, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 4

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

• 2 sweet potatoes*
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary*
• 2 garlic cloves, minced*
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt*
• 4 teaspoons of honey*
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Clean the potatoes and cut into steak fries.
2. In a medium bowl, add olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. Add the potatoes slices and coat well. Sprinkle with paprika.
3. Place potatoes on a sheet pan and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until tender and browned.
4. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey and vanilla. Chill and serve with potatoes.

Filed Under: Featured Article, News Tagged With: Growing Vegetables, Vegetable Facts

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Produce from some of our amazing agriculture vendo Produce from some of our amazing agriculture vendors at today’s market!
Attention granola lovers!! Today is National Grano Attention granola lovers!! Today is National Granola Day. In honor of this, all sales with our friends from @toganola are 10% off this Saturday only! Their granola products are packaged in sustainable packaging and free of gluten, dairy & soy. 

Our winter market runs today from 9:3-1:30 in the Wilton Mall food court. Hope you can make it!

Photo of and provided by @toganola 

#saratogasprings #saratogafarmersmarket #farmersmarket #granola #toganola #thingstodoinupstateny #organic #shopsmall #shoplocal #nationalgranoladay
Our new 2023 Freshconnect $2 coupons arrived today Our new 2023 Freshconnect $2 coupons arrived today! For every $5 you spend using your SNAP/EBT card at our market, receive $2 in coupons. FreshConnect bucks can be used to buy: vegetables, meat, milk, eggs, honey, baked items, jams, plants that bear food, and prepared foods that are packed to eat at home. Plus, there’s no cap on issuance! Stop by our information stand to learn more. We’ll be open 9:30-1:30 tomorrow. ❄️🌾

#freshconnect #snap #ebt #nutrition #health #agriculture #shoplocal #shopssmall #farmtotable #saratogasprings #saratogafarmersmarket #farmersmarket #thingstodoinupstateny @wilton_mall_leasing
Interested in growing your business? Farmers’ ma Interested in growing your business? Farmers’ markets are a great way to start networking and finding your customer base. For 45 years, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has provided a platform for local farmers, artisans, bakers and more build their businesses into what they are today. If you’d like to join our community, please submit your 2023 Summer Vendor application. The link can be found in our bio. Last day to apply is January 31st. DM us here or email me at sfma.manager@gmail.com with any questions!! 

#farmersmarket #startup #smallbusiness #shoplocal #entrepreneur #community #saratogasprings #thingstodoinupstateny #growyourbusiness
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