CARIBOU, Maine — The Maine Potato Board met on March 21 for their 28th annual meeting. This year’s meeting was held at the Caribou Inn and Convention center, where farmers from all over the state joined family members and board officials to discuss the current situation of the farming and agricultural communities. The packed conference room also witnessed the announcement of a number of recipients earning awards for 2014.
The evening began with a social hour, followed by a catered dinner and the presentation of this year’s honors. Members of the Maine Potato Board like President Gregg Garrison, Ex-Officio Mark Tarr and board executives Don Flannery and Tim Hobbs were all in attendance to present awards, such as the Outstanding Achievement Award, the Young Farmer’s Award and a handful of others.
Director of Development and Grower Relations Hobbs, was also at the meeting to not only conduct the invocation, but to present the Young Farmer’s Award to 2014’s recipient, Sara Corey. Corey is the first female farmer to win the award, and is also continuing a family legacy, started by her father Daniel, who won the award over a decade ago.
The Maine Agri-Women award was presented by members Jill Leavitt and Mary Anne Buck, who were honored to present this year’s award to Joan McElwain, who is the wife of current RSU 39 Superintendent of Schools, Frank McElwain. The McElwains own a strawberry farm in Caribou, and the family has been involved with farming and agriculture for over a century. The McElwain Farm was purchased in 1910 by Frank’s grandfather, David McElwain. In 1985, Frank and his father Ralph formed a partnership to grow strawberries. They farmed together until Ralph’s passing in 1999. Today, the strawberry venture continues, and now involves Frank’s wife Joan, as well as their children Diana, Lauren and Spencer.
Next was the President’s Award, received by Malcolm Ellis of Castle Hill, who strayed away from growing potatoes in 1994, but has certainly not had any less of an impact on the agricultural field.
Father and son Malcolm and Jaye Ellis, left raising potatoes to concentrate on inventing, designing and manufacturing equipment to aid farmers with better production and harvesting methods.
There were also two outgoing board members honored at the meeting, as Erica Fitzpatrick-Peabody and Shawn Doyen were honored for their service to the Maine Potato Board. Former Board President Mark Tarr was another member of the MPB family honored for his time as president and the years of dedication the Tarr family has dedicated to farming. Tarr will be replaced by incoming president Gregg Garrison, who presented Tarr with the award.
Last, but certainly not least was the Outstanding Achievement Award, being handed out for only the second time in the MPB’s history, as executive director Donald Flannery mentioned during his presentation speech. The award would go to Allison Todd of Fort Fairfield, who as Flannery put it, no one has worked harder than in 57 years since his first farming job as a stock inspector. Although, Todd was not in attendance to receive the award Flannery noted that he would be honored with a plaque at the MPB office on Monday, as Todd “was a frequent visitor.”
