How We Started Breeding Sweet Potatoes
At Heartbeet Farm, we specialize in locally-bred sweet potatoes that grow well in Eastern Ontario's short, intense season. This year, we're offering bare root slips for your growing pleasure.
In 2018, we were gifted more than 60 new varieties of sweet potatoes bred by local plant breeder Telsing Andrews. We have selected the best of the sixty and continue trialling new varieties grown from true seed collected each year.
In 2020, we partnered with the EFAO and other farms to test out the new varieties. We continue to grow several of the original varieties from the trial, as well as new varieties grown from true seed collected in 2019/2020. The varieties each have a name, as well as a number that corresponds with numbers found in the 2020 EFAO trial report. Scroll down to find the report.
Update from the 2023 Season
We managed to collect quite a few open-pollinated seeds last September and look forward to growing them this season as the search for new sweet potato varieties continues.
Sweet Potatoes for Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec
Our goal to produce short-season, cold-tolerant sweet potatoes that reliably produce bountiful harvests in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec’s climate with minimal inputs.
Sweet Potato Slips to Grow at Home
Sweet potato slips from our trials are available to try at home! Order online and pick them up in Ottawa or on the farm in North Augusta, Ontario.
These varieties have been selected based on taste, size, yield and ease of harvest. Details about each one are available on the online store.
Subscribe to our Sweet Potato Email Newsletter And be notified of any future availability.
Breeding & Variety Trials
In 2019 and 2020 we conducted variety trials in partnership with the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario. Our research, along with many other fascinating projects can be found here. We continue to trial new varieties in search of great taste, high yields and shorter days to maturity (DTM).