General News
25 February, 2024
'Taters in time for Rally
Wheatlands Machinery Museum have announced a successful harvest following its acquisition, restoration and trial run of an antique potato planter.
The Iron Age single-row planter - patented in 1906 and manufactured in Pennsylvania, USA, by F.A. Farquhar in approximately 1923 - was donated to the museum by the Daylesford Historical Society last year.
Gordon Mills and Graeme Werner dedicated 106 hours into restoring the planter and its accompanying digging machine, and after a successful trial run last August, museum volunteers made the decision to plant a crop of potatoes on the south-east side of the museum.
Two varieties of potato seed were sourced from Koroit - an area traditionally more suitable for growing spuds than the Wimmera-Mallee - and were planted on September 2, using a small Ford 2000 tractor, with the hopes of producing a bushel or three in time for the 2024 Easter Rally.
Museum volunteers were surprised at how well the crop grew, with some added irrigation from the nearby dam, and a harvest demonstration was held earlier this month revealing roughly one tonne - “a good ute load” - of various-sized potatoes.
The mighty spuds will be served up at this year’s Easter Rally, with a variety of topping options including coleslaw or savoury mince for everyone to enjoy.