Video: Sweet Potato Harvest Season

by Victoria Bailey

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)—Harvesting season is here and that means; sweet potato farmer are hard at work.

With Mississippi ranking 2nd in acreage and 3rd in production for the nation. This time of year is very important.

With Mississippi sweet potato harvest season kicking off officially September first; the demand for the sweet crop is high.

Sweet Potato Extension Specialist, Stephen Meyers says,”Sweet potato demand is still on an upward trend in this country. About a decade ago it was three and a half pounds per person per year and we’re over seven and a half pounds now so it’s more then doubled in the last decade.”

Jamie Earp co-owner of Earp Sweet Potato Farms says the key to meeting the demand is taking good care of the crop.

Earp Farms co-owner, Jamie Earp says,”In the earlier process, that’s when we put the seed potato on top of the soil and cover them up with soil then put plastic on top to make them sprout and as those sprouts come through we start taking the plastic off and start putting down our agrabon, that’s a white cloth. That helps the plants grow and keeps the moisture in them.”

While workers pack the trucks they are also packing their pockets

Earp says,”It puts a lot of dollars in the economy because out here we have 30 workers on our small farm of 240 acres of sweet potato. And that puts a lot of dollars in people’s pockets.”

Harvest seasons maybe a lot of hard work but the experts say the most important thing they want consumers to remember is.

Earp says, “Sweet potato’s is not just a holiday food it’s an everyday food. They’re good for you and they are sweet teasing and their real good so go out and get you some.”

Meyer says,” We always like to encourage people to eat sweet potato’s. They are good and they are good for you.”

Each Sweet Potato bin will go for about $320.00.  Harvest season will conclude the beginning of October.