Have you ever driven by a farmstead in Brunswick County and spotted an odd-looking mound in an otherwise flat field? It probably was a sweet potato bank. People have been growing sweet potatoes in the coastal plain of North Carolina for centuries. The sweet potato plant is closely related to morning glories, but the tubers of the sweet potato plant are edible and are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat, packing lots of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fiber, protein, iron and carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes grow well in the poor soils of this area. During hard times, many people subsisted on sweet potatoes, cornmeal and grits, collard greens, and beans and peas, supplemented with whatever fish and shellfish they could collect.
The method used to store sweet potatoes so they would last throughout the winter was very simple, but it worked well. The potatoes were mounded on top of a bed of straw, then covered with more straw. This was covered by a layer of soil. A door was fashioned on one side of the mound to allow access to the potatoes. Sweet potatoes can be kept for months in the conditions created in a bank protecting them from the weather.
Sweet potatoes are great with any meal at any time of the day! Some of our favorite ways to enjoy them are baked ( served with butter, sour cream or a bit of blue cheese ), fried, mashed sweet potatoes or the classic sweet potato pie.
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I came across this article on the North Carolina Cooperative Extension site that offers some interesting facts and figures about the sweet potato. The recipe they provide also looks pretty good!
Another nutrious food that is grown in the coastal plains of North Carolina is the peanut. See more favorite recipes. Find more information for Brunswick County, and find a little information about an introduction to Brunswick County oysters, and visit the Columbus and Bladen County countryside and crops.
In addition to farming and fishing, Brunswick County is home to barrier islands and beaches. If you are relocating or looking for a vacation property, visit the see Oak Island real estate and waterfront properties on lakes and rivers in the county. Enjoy the golf course, and find parks, marina, and more about farming and the Brunswick County and coastal North Carolina area. See condominiums, building sites, and more Winding River Plantation real estate and homes in the Lockwood and Bolivia, NC areas. See houses, lots, and River Run Plantation, find River Walk homes, and view Sunset Harbor real estate and land for sale. View Trevino Road, Lakewood Drive, and Boiling Spring Lakes, the Shell Point and River Hills communities, and Oak Island homes in the Davis Canal and Yacht Drive areas.
. Contact Penny here or call us at 888-864-5960 for real estate information and assistance.
The Carolina Coast Group Dennis & Penny Krueger & Sarah Kirby NC License numbers: 203087, 207954, 236639
Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty 4911 Long Beach Road SE Southport, NC 28461
