Seed Piece Northern Sand Farms Offers Gallenberg Varieties Certified seed potato grower plants more acres to accommodate additional spuds
When Justin and Stan Bula of Northern Sand Farms in Mole Lake, Wisconsin, took over the certified seed potato operation from their father, Dave, and uncle, Ed, in 2016, little did they know the expansion they’d see five years later upon the passing of Darwin Gallenberg, of Bryant. “Before Darwin passed away in July, he called this spring and needed a skid of potatoes,” relates Justin Bula. “We had some yellows and took them down there to Bryant. Darwin asked if we’d be willing to take his operation over, as David had recently suffered from some heart issues.” “We told Darwin we’d consider it, but we didn’t have to think long,” Justin remarks. “We called and said, ‘yes.’” Before offering to grow the Gallenberg varieties, Northern Sand Farms, a fourth-generation certified
seed potato operation, typically raised about 100 acres of certified seed potatoes, but one of their major customers cut back, by two-thirds, the quantity of spuds they were purchasing from the Bulas. “We were mainly growing chip stock, but the State Farm in Rhinelander had some seed available—russets, Dark Red Norlands, Silvertons and Goldrush,” Justin says. “We had extra acreage, but no customers. Still, in 2018, we gained a couple customers, continued on pg. 62
Above: Justin (left) and Stan Bula of Northern Sand Farms, Mole Lake, Wisconsin, now offer certified seed potato varieties formerly grown by David and Darwin Gallenberg, of Bryant, the latter of whom passed away in July 2021. BC�T October 61