Post by macmex on Oct 15, 2019 8:36:11 GMT -6
I've been growing Red Wine Velvet, pretty much, since 1985. It's a good sweet potato.
I thought I'd start a thread here, for any discussion about this variety. If you have another favorite, by all means start another thread dedicated to it. We could use a bunch of discussions about a whole lot of varieties!
In brief, I came across this variety in 1984, in the Warsaw, Indiana Farmers Market. An older fellow had a table set up with this and Southern Queen. I purchased them both and grew them out, offering them through the Seed Savers Exchange. Red Wine Velvet was virtually unknown at that point, so in a sense, I was reintroducing it. It took years to gather much of a following, but now, it is gaining some popularity.
This year is was my top producing variety, out of about 12 varieties. It has been a dependable producer, I've grown it in at least three states in the USA and one state in Mexico.
Red Wine Velvet's real claim to fame is its moistness. It has a moister texture than any other sweet potato I've come across When baked really well, it forms caramel under the skin. This one (as is the case with most varieties, in my opinion) needs no sweetening. Here's a link to a blog I recently did on this variety.
Homesteading Edu: Red Wine Velvet
One important point I made in the blog, is that I am concerned that most gardeners "run with the pack," growing what everyone else recommends and tending to neglect varieties which may be really good, and an important part of our heritage. So, when I write about RWV, don't think I'm just trying to get you grow this variety. There are many others available which are barely known.
I thought I'd start a thread here, for any discussion about this variety. If you have another favorite, by all means start another thread dedicated to it. We could use a bunch of discussions about a whole lot of varieties!
In brief, I came across this variety in 1984, in the Warsaw, Indiana Farmers Market. An older fellow had a table set up with this and Southern Queen. I purchased them both and grew them out, offering them through the Seed Savers Exchange. Red Wine Velvet was virtually unknown at that point, so in a sense, I was reintroducing it. It took years to gather much of a following, but now, it is gaining some popularity.
This year is was my top producing variety, out of about 12 varieties. It has been a dependable producer, I've grown it in at least three states in the USA and one state in Mexico.
Red Wine Velvet's real claim to fame is its moistness. It has a moister texture than any other sweet potato I've come across When baked really well, it forms caramel under the skin. This one (as is the case with most varieties, in my opinion) needs no sweetening. Here's a link to a blog I recently did on this variety.
Homesteading Edu: Red Wine Velvet
One important point I made in the blog, is that I am concerned that most gardeners "run with the pack," growing what everyone else recommends and tending to neglect varieties which may be really good, and an important part of our heritage. So, when I write about RWV, don't think I'm just trying to get you grow this variety. There are many others available which are barely known.
