OCTOBER 25, 2024 |
Photo – A truck load of potatoes – Courtesy Encampment K-12 School
The Silver Spur Ranch, located in the Platte Valley, is giving away potatoes to support state and local charities.
Last week, Silver Spur Ranches, located north of Riverside, began offering free potatoes. Residents were encouraged to visit the ranch and pick the harvested potatoes right off the ground.
Silver Spur Ranch Manager Mike Cunningham explained that the potatoes were an experiment in growing livestock feed in the Platte Valley. Because the yield was high, Cunningham chose to donate the unneeded spuds to local youth and charity organizations.
Cunningham said he planted five and a half acres of experimental potatoes this year. With each acre producing 20,000 pounds, the ranch manager ended up with roughly 55 tons of potatoes in total. Despite the positive outcome, Cunningham said the yield could have been higher.
Lessons learned. By fertilizing earlier and controlling the water supply more effectively, Cunningham said he hopes to produce more potatoes next year.
A portion of this year’s crop was donated to local FFA and 4H chapters. Cunningham said he’s also invited the Wyoming Hunger Initiative to distribute the potatoes to needy families around the state. First Lady Jennie Gordon is scheduled to visit Saratoga next week to collect the donated produce.
Last Wednesday and Thursday, Silver Spur Ranches offered free potatoes to anyone willing to come and pick them up. While the potato picking event was free to attend, the ranch encouraged participants to donate to the Tyler Nuhn Memorial. Cunningham explained that he personally knows the Nuhn family and wanted to support the scholarship fund.
Despite the rainy weather, Cunningham said around 25 people participated in last week’s potato picking event.
The ranch manager said even though he has donated several truckloads already, people are still welcome to come to the Silver Spur Ranches and collect potatoes.
Cunningham thanked everyone who came out to support the Tyler Nuhn Memorial and the Wyoming Hunger Initiative.
Call the Silver Spur Ranches at 327-5550 for more information about the free potatoes.
