Elementary students get taste of harvest tradition

On Sept. 20, fourth grade students in the classroom of Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Clark at Southern Arooostook Community School headed to Kim London’s potato field in Stacyville to pick potatoes like their ancestors may have done.    Cory London met the group in the field and went over the importance of keeping their eyes out for the tractor and digger when it goes by. The students started out with all kinds of energy and just loved being outside. They were proud when they filled that first barrel!
One little boy found a field mouse. We took our lunch break while Cory got more barrels. By now, the day had warmed up quite nicely. As we started the last hour in the field, we worked with a little less enthusiasm and energy. By the time we finished and headed home, everyone agreed potato picking was hard work!
On Sept. 26, Southern Aroostook Community School’s fourth grade class continued their study of potato harvesting by visiting Tom and John Qualey’s Farm in Sherman. They started in the field with Tom as he explained and showed the new harvester to the students.
The group also saw three diggers and several potato trucks. The students boarded the bus and headed to the storage facility where John greeted them and gave a tour. They saw a mountain of potatoes. The group learned about the importance of temperature and humidity control to keep the potatoes in good shape.
Students saw giant fans, culverts and a conveyer belt. They also learned that computers are used to monitor the facility.
Back in the classroom, they compared the two types of harvesting: the equipment, the crew needed, evolution, obstacles, hazards, and a conclusion. The students are now predicting what the harvest of potatoes might look like in Aroostook County in 20 years.