Sweet Potatoes

Covington Sweet Potatoes

The Covington is an orange-fleshed, smooth-skinned, rose-colored, table-stock sweet potato developed by North Carolina State University (NCSU).

Sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamins A, C, and B6, Maganese, Iron and Potassium. They are nutritious and delicious!

Covington sweet potatoes account for 90 percent of the sweet potatoes planted in North Carolina and 20 percent grown nationwide.

Researchers at NC State University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences have made their mark breeding better sweet potatoes, most recently with the Covington – named for Henry M. Covington, an NCSU extension specialist who earned the nickname “Mr. Sweet Potato” in the 1950s.

Did you know North Carolina is the No. 1 sweet potato producing state in the U.S.?

Our Process

Sweet Potatoes are native to North Carolina and grow mostly in the coastal plain region. NC grows more of this low calorie vegetable than any other state.

Sprout

Sweet potatoes are not started from seed but are grown from cuttings called sprouts or slips. Some farmers start sprouts in a greenhouse.

Bedding

Howell Farming Co. grow sprouts by “bedding” seed potatoes in March. The whole potato is put on top of the ground, than covered with a thin layer of soil and plastic.

Transplant

Sprouts are then cut and transplanted from the greenhouse to a field in May and June.

Plant

Sprouts are planted in rows using a machine. It takes between 90 and 120 days (without frost), known as frost free days, to grow a sweet potato.

Grow

Sweet potatoes grow under the ground and are the root of the plant.

Dig

Sweet Potatoes are ready to dig 3-4 months after sprouts are transplanted. Starting in August rows are plowed and sweet potatoes are flipped on top of the ground.

Grade

Sweet potatoes are graded, or sorted, according to their size by the worker in the field or by machine before being packed. The largest sweet potatoes are called jumbos and the smallest are canners.

Green

Sweet potatoes have a thin skin which can be easily hurt. Those washed and sold right after digging are called “green”.

Cure

Most sweet potatoes are cured. Curing changes some starches in the sweet potato into sugar, making the vegetable sweeter and the skin tougher. It takes 4-7 days of 80-85°F temperature and 80-90°F relative humidity to cure sweet potatoes.

Store

After being cured, sweet potatoes can be stored for up to one year before being sold. They are stored in their boxes at temperatures between 55-60°F and 85°F relative humidity.

Package

Sweet potatoes are washed, sorted by size and packed before going to market.

Ship

We ship sweet potatoes all over the world. You can find the sweet potato in many sections of the grocery store all year long.

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