Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Ask Kahkewistahaw First Nations’ Director of Corporate Operations Wanda Wilson if the community’s potato farm is managed according to aboriginal ways, and she’ll beam a smile right back at you.
“We are in our fourth year of operation,” Wilsonsays. “We are located right on the south bank of the Qu’Appelle Valley. We planted 47 acres of the Red Norland variety potato this year that we irrigate on the edge of Qu’Appelle River. We have established a four-year crop rotation so that we don’t tap the land out. You see, potatoes are a high-risk crop that is susceptible to disease. We are very conscious of that, and take whatever measures are necessary to minimize that risk. We are able to grow other crops, like barley, wheat and canola. To illustrate, this year we have grown 90 acres of canola in addition to the potatoes.”
“Until recently, we hired production managers from outside our community. We felt we really needed to hone our marketing strategy, so this year I have been asked to look after our activities along with our team of dedicated employees. We sit down as a group and agree on our respective areas of responsibility. Now we are running the potato operation more along the principles of a team approach.”
Wilson is obviously proud of what Kahkewistahaw is achieving.
“It makes me feel good to be able to draw on my 15 years of administrative and business experience for this venture. Right now, we are working with two potato brokers to generate as much revenue as possible from our table potatoes. The other option we are working on is to eventually distribute our potatoes to other First Nations around the province, which represents a significant market as you can imagine.”
Now that Kahkewistahaw draws on its own resources to grow its potato crop, extra care and attention goes into every production step, explains Wilson.
“We have learned so much. For instance, we use a desiccant that kills the plant and prepares the skin for table quality. We are hoping to harvest 175,000 pounds altogether this year, at roughly 30,000 per acre. I figure we should be able to take to market around 17, 500 pounds per acre after we discard those that are too small, too big or oddly shaped.”
“We are also a certified seed grower registered with the Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association. We have all the specialized equipment that is required: a mechanical harvester, a sizer/shaker and a climate-controlled storage shed that can hold two million pounds of potatoes in the dark over winter.
Wilson estimates that this year’s crop will bring at least $211,000 in revenue to Kahkewistahaw First Nation, and perhaps as much as $380,000.
For more information, contact:
Wanda Wilson
Director of Corporate Operations
Kahkewistahaw First Nation
(306)696-3291
http://www.kahkewistahaw.com/index.php
Ask Kahkewistahaw First Nations’ Director of Corporate Operations Wanda Wilson if the community’s potato farm is managed according to aboriginal ways, and she’ll beam a smile right back at you.
“We are in our fourth year of operation,” Wilsonsays. “We are located right on the south bank of the Qu’Appelle Valley. We planted 47 acres of the Red Norland variety potato this year that we irrigate on the edge of Qu’Appelle River. We have established a four-year crop rotation so that we don’t tap the land out. You see, potatoes are a high-risk crop that is susceptible to disease. We are very conscious of that, and take whatever measures are necessary to minimize that risk. We are able to grow other crops, like barley, wheat and canola. To illustrate, this year we have grown 90 acres of canola in addition to the potatoes.”
“Until recently, we hired production managers from outside our community. We felt we really needed to hone our marketing strategy, so this year I have been asked to look after our activities along with our team of dedicated employees. We sit down as a group and agree on our respective areas of responsibility. Now we are running the potato operation more along the principles of a team approach.”
Wilson is obviously proud of what Kahkewistahaw is achieving.
“It makes me feel good to be able to draw on my 15 years of administrative and business experience for this venture. Right now, we are working with two potato brokers to generate as much revenue as possible from our table potatoes. The other option we are working on is to eventually distribute our potatoes to other First Nations around the province, which represents a significant market as you can imagine.”
Now that Kahkewistahaw draws on its own resources to grow its potato crop, extra care and attention goes into every production step, explains Wilson.
“We have learned so much. For instance, we use a desiccant that kills the plant and prepares the skin for table quality. We are hoping to harvest 175,000 pounds altogether this year, at roughly 30,000 per acre. I figure we should be able to take to market around 17, 500 pounds per acre after we discard those that are too small, too big or oddly shaped.”
“We are also a certified seed grower registered with the Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association. We have all the specialized equipment that is required: a mechanical harvester, a sizer/shaker and a climate-controlled storage shed that can hold two million pounds of potatoes in the dark over winter.
Wilson estimates that this year’s crop will bring at least $211,000 in revenue to Kahkewistahaw First Nation, and perhaps as much as $380,000.
For more information, contact:
Wanda Wilson
Director of Corporate Operations
Kahkewistahaw First Nation
(306)696-3291
http://www.kahkewistahaw.com/index.php
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