Planting Sweet Potatoes in the Chicken Field

7 Comments

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Last year the “pallet garden” was the first larger area we fenced off from chickens, cows, and rabbits and began cultivating. Around that same time Stewart built the first short-term chicken coop to house the three chickens a neighbor gave us to get started.

That chicken coop was recently torn down, with some of the materials being used to make a new composting area. A new chicken coop was built in a different location, but the space in front of that first coop, named “The Chicken Field”, lives on.

This year Stewart fenced in that area to keep the chickens out and dug up 35 foot rows for planting. Three of those rows were planted with sweet potato slips. Some of them are looking a bit worn down by the barrage of grasshoppers, but most of them seem to be holding on.

We’d love to make sweet potatoes a staple calorie crop, seeing as how it’s full of carbohydrates and nutrients and has the potential for being a perennial here.

We purchased 200 sweet potato slips all together, many of which were actually planted throughout our two acres to act as ground cover, possible chicken food, and possible people food.

We’re grateful for the blessing of planting these little green slips and the process of planting, learning, and growing.

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7 Comments

  1. Hello,

    Can you tell me where you purchased your sweet potato slips from?

    Thank you,
    Dawn

      1. @Stewart, Thanks Stewart! The slips look terrific and I will try them next time I order :). I am planting Vardaman and Georgia Jet this year.

        Dawn

  2. I have never thought of a food crop, like potatoes, as being a perennial. I’m in the Deep South, so our perennial food crops are trees and shrubs, like nuts, stone fruits, apples and berries. This is why I love reading your blog, it totally takes me to a different place and truly gives me pause.

    1. Laurl – So glad you’re here! We have some volunteer sweet potatoes coming up from last year and we’re hoping that if we plant enough, and perhaps mulch heavily for the winter, we can have a perennial supply of sweet potatoes. 🙂

      1. @Shannon, Plus you can produce your own slips from your crop for planting the following year. It is more a “perpetual” crop, then perennial (other than those wonderful volunteers!)

  3. Hi Shannon,
    We have been digging our sweet potatoes for about 3 months now.( south eastern coast of Australia )We have Vietnamese neighbours who use the new shoots for for a green veggie which they stir fry. This does not affect the growth of the tubers at all and is quite delicious.Also once your plants are established you can break off the new runners and replant them for more plants. They must have fine roots though.
    Blessings Gail

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