Armstrong and Co owner Peter Armstrong has been battling wet conditions during this season's harvest of his Jersey Benne potatoes in North Otago. PHOTO: SHAWN MCAVINUEA North Otago market gardener has a thick skin from growing soft-skin potatoes for more than 40 years. Armstrong and Co owner Peter Armstrong said Jersey benne potatoes accounted for nearly a third of the crops on about 140ha land he owned or leased between Totara and Maheno. The harvest began early last month and it had poured with rain at least one day each week since. Staggered planting ensured he would not lose all of his crop, if hit by a spell of wet weather and ‘‘nice young Jersey bennes’’ would be available when it dried out.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 21, 2021 02:17 UTC