Excerpt and Photo from fwi.co.uk
Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada claims to be the potato capital of the world based on production per capita, with an annual harvest of 1.45m tonnes. This equates to 10t of potatoes per head of its 150,000 population.
Elizabeth Irving, who runs Indian River Farms alongside her grandfather and mother, describes its iconic iron-red, fine sandy loam soils – common to large parts of the province and ideal for growing potatoes – as the business’ prize asset.
But Prince Edward Island’s (PEI’s) undulating topography and maritime climate present a major threat to its sustainability.
On average, the island serves up more than 1,000mm of annual rainfall, harsh winter freeze-thaw cycles and…