Video: Sweet Potato Harvest In Vardaman

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VARDAMAN, Miss.(WCBI)–For the last few days its been raining in North Mississippi, just as sweet potato harvest is coming to an end. As farmers wrap up their harvest, just how is the rain factoring into the yields at harvest time?

Potato fields like those in Vardaman are now empty as farmers have shifted from planting and growing to getting the crop off to market. Although rain was needed during the dry season, especially in September, recent rains are a welcomed site.

“It will help us out a little bit now. It kind of stalled things for a day or two but once it dries out our growers will get back in the field and start harvesting again,” said Stephen Meyers/MSU Sweet Potato Specialist.

“But we should get finished up in the next week. The quality is good, the size of the potato looks good,” said Clint Whitt/Sweet Potato Producer.

The rains are just in time as farmers are glad to be reaping an average to below average yield.

“We’ve had some excellent fields some poor fields, but most of them tend to fall in the middle,” said Stephen Meyers.

Actually, for farmers, the rains are just in time, conditions are ripe for getting the crop in.

“Too dusty the working conditions aren’t ideal for those individuals harvesting. And then the second part of that is that the sweet potato has a thin skin on it. And if the ground is too dry that skin will actually slep off and make the sweet potato less esthetically appealing,” said Stephen Meyers.

The harvest in Calhoun and surrounding potato growing regions should make for a Sweeeeeeet Potato Festival held this November in Vardaman.