Maine Memory Network

Potato pickers, Caribou, ca. 1930

Contributed by: Caribou Public Library Date: circa 1930 Location: Caribou Media: Photographic print

Potato barrels at harvest, Caribou, ca. 1930

Contributed by: Caribou Public Library Date: circa 1930 Location: Caribou Media: Photographic print

Maine Eats: the food revolution starts here

From Maine's iconic lobsters, blueberries, potatoes, apples, and maple syrup, to local favorites like poutine, baked beans, red hot dogs, Italian sandwiches, and Whoopie Pies, Maine's identity and economy are inextricably linked to food. Sourcing food, preparing food, and eating food are all part of the heartbeat of Maine's culture and economy. Now, a food revolution is taking us back to our roots in Maine: to the traditional sources, preparation, and pleasures of eating food that have sustained Mainers for millennia.

Laboring in Maine

Workers in Maine have labored in factories, on farms, in the woods, on the water, among other locales. Many of Maine's occupations have been determined by the state's climate and geographical features.

Presque Isle: The Star City - Harvesting Potatoes - Page 5 of 13

"1940Presque Isle Historical Society After the potatoes are laid onto the row by the digger, the potato picker would first fill a basket such as the…"

Presque Isle: The Star City - Harvesting Potatoes - Page 6 of 13

"Around 1940 the picker would earn 12 cents per barrel and in 1950 the picker earned 20 cents per barrel."

Aroostook Potato Harvest: Perspective of a Six Year Old
by Phyllis A. Blackstone

A child's memory of potato harvest in the 1950s