Wisconsin potato farmers are anticipating better results in 2019 than in 2018 when an early frost left much of their harvest unusable, reports WSAU.

According to Tamas Houlihan, a representative of the state’s Potato and Vegetable Grower’s Association, who was cited by the report, there were still a lot of potatoes in the ground in October when the frost hit last year. So, a lot of growers were hurt financially because a lot of potatoes couldn’t be harvested. This year is hailed as a recovery year for a lot of growers.

Houlihan notes that cool, not cold or frozen soil is best for the potatoes this time of year because it allows them to grow a thicker skin. Farmers then need dry conditions to be able to dig them up.

“Particularly in Antigo, with the heavy slit loam soil, when it rains, especially if you get an inch or more, it sits in the field for a while, and it will shut a harvest operation down for a couple for days,” Houlihan explained.