Potatoes
From Field to Fork
Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Since 1996
Alsum Farms grows, nurtures and harvests potatoes on 3,000 acres of land that make their way to the dinner tables of Americans using the Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Program. This eco-friendly, sustainable food and agriculture program has guided our farm sustainability practices since 1996. As a founding member of the Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Program, Alsum Farms utilizes the Program’s regenerative agriculture approach to farming that works to strengthen ecosystems and community resilience. Alsum Farms dedicates 50 acres and counting to prairie restoration and pollinator habitat to cultivate a sustainably grown food supply.
Selecting Seed
The first step in growing quality potatoes starts with selecting certified seed potatoes that are then cut by seed cutting machines. Larry Alsum, Farmer, CEO & President of Alsum Farms & Produce carefully selects certified seed potatoes that grow best in Wisconsin’s sandy soil and climate.
Planting
We plant our certified seed potatoes in April after the last hard frost. Soil is carefully mounded around the seed potatoes in long rows to to help water reach the roots and to make it easier to harvest potatoes in the fall. Our farm operators use GPS technology to plant the seed which allows us to efficiently maximize our productivity and yield.
Growing
We carefully monitor soil moisture, humidity and sun exposure to make sure the plants are properly hydrated, but don’t become too wet — which could lead to the spread of disease. Our crop scouts regularly walk the fields inspecting the plants for disease or pests. First a potato sprouts. In the second stage, vegetative growth — leaves/stems — emerge. During the third stage, tubers develop along the underground stolons. Stage four sees the tubers bulk up, near the end of summer.
Farmer Larry Alsum evaluates potato growth in a field at Alsum Farms in Arena, Wisconsin.
Harvesting
The above ground foliage begins to yellow, wither and die back — harvest time.
Cleaning and Inspection
We wash our potatoes three times — using recycled water at every stage except for the final rinse. Potatoes are inspected for quality, then sorted by size and variety.
Packing
We provide packages in a nearly limitless selection of grade, weight, variety, shape and size to meet the changing needs of consumers.
Storage
Potatoes need to be stored in cool, dim areas — so we provide them with the perfect environmentally-controlled warehouse.
Delivery
To ensure the highest quality, our potatoes are transported and delivered in refrigerated trucks to your grocer’s distribution center or store.
Consuming
Breakfast, lunch or dinner — enjoy our fresh potatoes. They’re gluten, fat and sodium free and have only 110 calories per serving. And are rich in potassium, fiber and vitamin C.
“In 1992 we began farming and by 1996 helped establish the Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Program. Since that time, the Healthy Grown program has continued to guide our farm sustainability practices utilizing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to efficiently manage inputs, implement conservation practices that enhance biological diversity, and ecosystem efforts by certifying under the Healthy Grown standards.”
Larry Alsum
Founding Member, Wisconsin Healthy Grown®