Local farmers harvesting Rotary Auction donations

     HOULTON — As long as most can remember, local farmers have donated the fruits of their labor to the annual Houlton Rotary Auction to support great local causes.
    This is the 56th year of the Houlton Rotary Auction, and Bob Anderson, current Rotary member and club president in 1965-66, recently said that he believes that local farmers have donated potatoes since the Auction began in 1955.
    This year is no exception, with farmers like Bartlett Farms in Littleton stepping up to donate more of their Red Chefs to the Auction. Bob Bartlett is retired but still maintains an active role in the operation headed by his son David. Most of the Bartlett crop is shipped to Florida to be planted during November and December.
Contributed photo
TAKING A BREAK — Harvester workers for Nason Farms take a coffee break on a warm fall day, Sept. 26. Nason Farms is one of many local farmers who donate potatoes to the annual Rotary Auction.
    Like farmers everywhere, local farmers must be ready to innovate and diversify to stay in business for the long term. Again this year, the Bartletts are experimenting in a new market by raising and marketing the Fingerling variety. They have retro-fitted a vintage one-row John Bean harvester to dig this very small potato for the gourmet restaurant market.
    Nason Farms in Linneus is a consistent donor to the Rotary Auction. Mark and sons Galen and Garrett work together with other family members to bring in a crop that will be shipped out during the winter in small packs to grocery stores on the East Coast of the U.S.
    A new contributor to the Rotary Auction this year is Treeland Farms of Hodgdon, run by Joel and Lynn Oliver. They operate a vegetable stand during the summer and ship potatoes locally and out of state during the winter months.
     Other potato contributors are Nature Circle Farm, Naturally Potatoes, D.A. Winship and Family, Mike and Lawrence Gough, Tommy Good, Barry Campbell, Albert Fitzpatrick, Mike Fitzpatrick, and Greg Schools.
    Although the auction booklet is in production, you may still contribute potatoes or other items, and your donation will be recognized during the Auction on Nov. 21-23. Major projects this year are the Houlton Parks and Rec playground, Backpack for Kids, Aid for Kids, SADC Community Sign, Cary Library, Salvation Army, Rotary’s Student Exchange Program, and the annual Student Recognition Day.  If you wish to make a donation, please contact Auction Chairman Ryan Bushey at ryan.bushey@lpcorp.com.