Top up your boots with PEI potatoes

To help offset rising food costs, four Island farms opened their potato storages to Islanders on March 11, 2023. Visitors helped themselves to unwashed potatoes directly from the pile in storage. More than 900 consumers visited, donating $3,500 to the PEI food bank.

The participating potato farms were:

• G Visser and Sons – 6346

Trans-Canada Hwy, Orwell Cove

• R.A. Rose and Sons Ltd. – 402

NOVA SCOTIA

$15M for vineyards

Nova Scotia agriculture minister Greg Morrow has announced $15 million in relief funds to grape growers and other tree fruit growers whose crops were impacted by a cold snap on February 3-4, 2023. The advective freeze event occurred after an unseasonably mild winter. Assessments show that some Nova Scotia farms are expected to lose all of this year’s grape, raspberry, peach, cherry and plum harvests due to the cold.

According to a report produced by Perennia and Ag Canada’s Kentville Research and Development Centre, the freeze event was the coldest since 2009 and the fourth coldest annual minimum in 50 years. The average December and January temperatures were the warmest on record since 1914. The lack of grapevine acclimation has resulted in widespread bud damage.

Industry experts say it’s impossible to accurately assess the long-term damage. Current predictions suggest that the majority of sites will recover.

“Every vineyard in Nova Scotia has been affected by this event,” says Steve Ells, president of the 85-member Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia. He says the province's vineyards lost at least 95 per cent of all viable vinifera buds, which are used in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling, and anywhere from 40 to 90 per cent of hybrid buds, depending on the vineyard.

The loss of summer 2023 production means that winemakers may turn to Ontario’s Niagara region to get the juice required to make wine. However, climate change has affected that region as well. Niagara vineyards suffered devastating freeze losses in 2022.

“It’s very important to the industry to make sure production stays somewhat intact,” Ells said, emphasizing the close link between tourism and the vineyards.

Northlake Harbour Rd, Lakeville

• Farmboys Inc. – 1472 Arlington Road, Richmond

• Vanco Farms – 280 Crooked Creek Road, Oyster Bed

During the U.S. border closure of 2021 and 2022, five Island farms opened their doors and invited Islanders to visit and bring home some potatoes as thanks for their support. Many potatoes had to be destroyed last year when the border closed, and these farms wanted to share with Islanders before the destruction was completed. More than 5,000 people picked up 160,000 pounds of potatoes, and the farms collected $8500 for the food bank.

PEI Potato farmers donate directly to food banks throughout the year. However, this is an opportunity for people to come directly to participating farms, gather up some potatoes, and learn a bit about farming.

Source: PEI Potato Board March 7, 2023 news release