By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Several area students went back to class yesterday following a three-week harvest break, yet many growers are still getting their crops out of the fields.
“As of Oct. 7, we’re probably 60 percent done harvesting this year’s crop,” said Tim Hobbs, director of development/grower relations for the Maine Potato Board. “Unfortunately we’ve had some rain which slowed things down.
“You never want rain during harvest, but you never want it completely dry like it was last year either because that will affect bruising. If it’s really dry, there’s nothing to cushion the potatoes when they go up through the machine. You want a little bit of soil to carry it and moister soil goes up better, so really, really dry conditions aren’t good, and really, really wet conditions aren’t good,” he said. “We always like to get a little rain, but not too much; a little warm, but not too hot. We were a little more on the wet side this year. However, everything’s going to get dug and everything’s going to come out of the ground. We don’t foresee any big issues.”
Hobbs said the quality of this year’s crop is “excellent.”
“Because of the dry weather we had during the growing season, the quality is excellent; rot is associated with excess water so that wasn’t an issue,” he said. “We got some water at the end of the growing season which helped the Russets bulk up … they’re looking really good. The yields were impacted a bit with some of the early season varieties that were planted, but overall the quality is excellent and the yields are going to be higher than they were last year.”
Presque Isle potato grower Bruce Roope said he’s pleased with this year’s crop.
“The potatoes are better than what we expected,” he said. “After that drought this summer, we were very concerned, but the yields got those later rains which helped out quite a bit.”
Roope Farm planted a little over 400 acres of Shepodys and Russets. Roope said all of their potatoes are sold to McCain Foods.
“We’re probably 60 percent done,” said Roope. “We’d be a lot further ahead if it weren’t for the recent rains. Once things dry out, we’ll need a good five or six days to finish harvesting the potatoes.
“All in all the type and size is better than what we expected,” he said, “so we’re happy.”
Hobbs agreed.
“It’s been a good, safe season,” he said, “and we never had any late blight, so I would say it’s been a success.”
Farmers planted 55,500 acres of potatoes in the state with 10 percent of those being outside of Aroostook County.
