It takes a community to support a farm

    PRESQUE ISLE — By 1940, Aroostook County was the “Potato Empire of the World.” When the Aroostook County Farm Bureau was formed in 1951, The County was the poster child for agricultural communities that supported themselves and competed in the world markets.
    In 1956, over a quarter million acres were in farm production. Nearly all of The County’s 4,500 farms grew potatoes. By 2000, farms had dwindled to fewer than 1,000, and acres devoted to farmland dropped by 60 percent, with less than one-third of that raising potatoes. But then the downward trend reversed itself. Mid-decade, farms numbered over 1,000, with idle farmland going back into production every year.
    Though Aroostook County is still synonymous with potatoes, changing times and markets have made the face of agriculture here more diversified.
    On Monday, Aug. 27 at the Crow’s Nest Restaurant in Presque Isle, the Aroostook County Farm Bureau will hold its annual membership event and dinner. To celebrate and encourage our agricultural growth and diversity, this event will include a program of workshops and displays that will be open and free to the public from 3:30-6:30 p.m.
    This is a rare opportunity not only for local farmers to network, but also for bankers, retailers, schools, hospitals, sportsmen and women, everyone young and old, to meet and talk about the whole community that supports a farm.
    In addition to the workshops and exhibits, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. there will be a social hour and cash bar, followed by a buffet dinner for anyone who purchases tickets in advance. Dinner tickets are $12 each for members, $25 each for non-members. Payment for dinner tickets is due by Aug. 22.
    From its beginnings, the purpose of the Farm Bureau has been to make agriculture more profitable and communities better places to live. The Farm Bureau is not a government agency. It is a non-profit organization that lobbies government on behalf of farmers and all other landowners, whether they are members or not. It supports farm families, protects property rights, wildlife habitat, and the environment, and it preserves open spaces for recreation.
    Orders for dinner tickets must include the number wanted. Make checks payable to Aroostook County Farm Bureau, and mail to ACFB, 744 Main St., Presque Isle, Maine 04769.
    For more information, contact the Farm Bureau at aroostookfb@mfx.net or call 764-6464 and leave a detailed message with a callback number.