Peru

Conditions have been wetter and cooler than usual and late blight appeared earlier in the season than I expected.

I am scouting the lower plots twice a week now instead of weekly. Two varieties in the same field are holding up differently, which is interesting, but one field is not a trial and I am not going to present it as one.

Under review. If it holds next season I will say more.

There is pressure to plant only what the buyers want, and I understand why — it is the part of the harvest that pays.

Still keeping a portion in native varieties. They handle a bad year better than the commercial ones, and in this altitude a bad year is not unusual. That is experience, not data.

Curious whether growers elsewhere on this feed are making the same trade-off.