Maine Memory Network

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."

Presque Isle: The Star City - Potato Harvest Memories - Page 1 of 5

"The pickers would make about 25 to 30 cents for a barrel. Her family would use the money to buy clothes for school."

Presque Isle: The Star City - Harvesting Potatoes - Page 9 of 13

"Conant is walking across the field by two potato pickers. On the right, two men are loading a barrel by hand."

Presque Isle: The Star City - Harvesting Potatoes - Page 10 of 13

"Students such as these would pick 15 to 40 barrels of potatoes per day. See how Presque Isle Middle School student Isaac's grandmother occupied her…"

Presque Isle: The Star City - Harvesting Potatoes - Page 8 of 13

"Most potato barrel trucks had a ticket box like this on the back. With a power hoist, a box over the wheels for wheel clearance is no longer…"

Presque Isle: The Star City - Harvesting Potatoes - Page 3 of 13

"… things down, but gave a break to the potato pickers and other field workers. Worn lags would have to be replaced with new ones."