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,

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.

and now we’re also growing out the stuff from David and Darwin, starting in 2021.”

A CROP THIS YEAR

“After David had some heart issues and before Darwin’s passing, we got a call saying they weren’t going to plant a crop this year,” Justin recalls. “I said, ‘Darwin, don’t worry about it,’ and we went down and picked up the seed potatoes to plant here.” Last year, Northern Sand Farms offered Dark Red Norland, Manistee, Oneida Gold, Red Gold, Silverton and Snowden certified seed potatoes. The farm encompasses 450 acres in all, and storage for approximately 100 acres of potatoes.

Above and Right: With the additional certified seed potato varieties they picked up from David and the late Darwin Gallenberg, Stan and Justin Bula of Northern Sand Farms now offer everything from yellow, red and purple potatoes to fingerlings.

The Gallenberg varieties added to the operation include Adirondack Blue, Adirondack Red, Austrian Crescent fingerlings, German Butterball, Goldrush, Kennebec, Red Pontiac, Superior and Yukon Gold potatoes. “We are willing to expand this operation out. We have the land,” Justin concludes. “Next year, we plan to get Red Viking, a very early red variety, from the State Farm, and Peter Wilcox, a purple fingerling.” For more information, visit www.Northernsandfarms.com.