Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – The Maine Agri-Women broke tradition April 11 and presented two 2008 Maine Agri-Women of the Year awards at the 22nd annual Maine Potato Board meeting and dinner.
Agri-Women vice president
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THE MAINE AGRI-WOMEN broke tradition April 11 and presented two 2008 Maine Agri-Women of the Year awards at the 22nd annual Maine Potato Board meeting and dinner. Margaret Adams and her daughter-in-law, Carol Adams, were each honored by the organization. Congratulating the women are, from left: Judy Kenney, president of the Maine Agri-Women; Carol Adams, Margaret Adams, and Mary Anne Buck, vice president of the Maine Agri-Women.
The first recipient was Margaret Adams. In making the announcement, Mary Anne Buck, vice president of the Maine Agri-Women, said she first met Margaret this past fall.
“I had gone to visit an older lady here in town and she showed me a whole box of home canned foods – all kinds of jams, jellies and pickles,” said Buck. “She told me about this lady who was having a garage sale with all kinds of vegetables that she had grown, plus homemade donuts, cookies, and all of these canned goods.
“It seemed that she had put an ad in the local paper, and for some unknown reason, it didn’t get in. She didn’t seem too concerned, but I was concerned for her. She had all of her items displayed like I had never seen before,” she said. “Shelves lined her little garage with all of her many washed and polished items. I was so impressed … I told everybody that I saw and I went back and bought things three different times and took different people with me each time. She seemed so humble. I really took a liking to her.”
Born in Canada, Margaret was married in 1944, and she and her husband first lived in Easton. In 1949, they purchased a farm in Presque Isle where they lived and raised three sons. In 1955, she became a U.S. citizen.
“In talking with some of her family,” said Buck, “I learned that she milked cows, raised chickens and sold the eggs, made butter to sell, as well as milk and cream. She helped her husband with the 40 acres of potatoes that they raised the ‘old-fashioned way’ with small equipment.
“She harrowed the ground, cut seed, and rode the planter and drove truck in the field in the fall. I can relate to that,” she said. “She also provided snacks for the pickers and then counted the tickets at the end of the day. In the winter, she helped shovel the potatoes into barrels to be hauled to whoever was going to pack them. In later years, she worked in the potato house racking potatoes as her boys packed the potatoes.”
Margaret continues to keep her own home and enjoys entertaining her family, friends, two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.
The second award was presented to Carol Adams, Margaret’s daughter-in-law. According to Judy Kenney, president of the Maine Agri-Women, Carol worked on the family farm for over 20 years in any capacity needed – in the potato house, fields, or counting picking tickets late into the night, and doing the payroll.
“Her daughters fondly remember her coming into the fields with cold treats on hot days and hot cocoa and cookies on those cold days of harvest,” said Kenney. “She cooked a large harvest celebration that all the crew looked forward to each year.”
Carol’s career then shifted in 1988 when she came to work part-time at the Maine Potato Board office, and full-time in 1989.
“Carol is one of the finest individuals I have ever had the opportunity to work with,” said her former boss, Dave Lavway, who now serves as the state executive director of the Maine State USDA Farm Service Agency. “I cannot remember one instance where she was hesitant to take on additional duties requested of her. She has served the potato industry with distinction and the farmers were always treated in a professional and caring manner.
“She has a real heartfelt concern for the potato industry and will do whatever is needed to get the job done,” said Lavway. “I remember when John Logan, Dorcas Mahan, Carol and myself were working to help get the Agri-Women group started. Carol was a great advocate of the Maine Potato Board helping not just with moral support, but also with money. I would say she took charge of the process.”
Both Carol and Margaret were visibly stunned to receive the honor and thanked the Maine Agri-Women for the award.
Maine Potato Board President Dominic LaJoie then presented Steve Belyea, PMIF potato storage consultant, with the 2008 President’s Award.
“The President’s Award this year goes to an individual that’s been working with our industry for the past 20-plus years. He has been instrumental in making our Potato Marketing Improvement Fund program a success in Maine,” said LaJoie. “His continuing dedication and commitment and helping to improve the quality of our potato storages has been second-to-none over the years.
“We are very fortunate to have access to his knowledge and expertise on potato storage construction and management. His work has had a positive impact on our industry,” he said. “Besides being the program director for PMIF, his busy schedule also includes working with the Maine Potato Research Storage Facility, Water Source Development Program, Aroostook Water Soil Management Board, Agricultural Bargaining loan program, and an adviser of the Maine Potato Board’s education committee.”
Belyea wasn’t even planning to attend the ceremony, but was “strongly encouraged” by his boss to do so.
“Holy cow!” said a shocked Belyea. “Talk about being surprised. Gosh, I’m speechless. Words can’t express how surprised and pleased I am to receive this award. It’s been a great pleasure working with everybody. You’re a phenomenal group of people to work with. I am so lucky because every day I get up and I want to go to work, and not everyone can say that. I feel blessed.”
Brent Buck and Edward Jewell were also recognized as outgoing Maine Potato Board members.
The evening’s top honor, 2007 Young Farmer of the Year, was presented to Alan Moir of Woodland.
During the annual meeting, LaJoie told those in attendance that for the past five years, the Maine Potato Board directors and staff have made “many changes to activities undertaken by the board on behalf of the industry.”
“While promotion and marketing are no longer the primary activities, we do try to direct funds – in partnership with growers, dealers and processors – to areas that can potentially have the most impact on our industry,” he said. “The Board now directs more of our resources toward activities that will allow our industry to remain competitive in an ever-changing environment.
“We now spend more time on public policy, regulatory and environmental issues that we believe will have a positive impact on our industry,” said LaJoie. “We’ve made an effort to invest in the development of infrastructure that will meet the needs of the industry today and into the future. Some of the investments have been the construction of potato research storage, and the construction of a new potato testing laboratory. Disease and phytosanitary issues are an area we’re finding ourselves spending more and more time on. These issues will continue to be part of our industry in the future, and the Board needs to make sure we have the resources to deal with them on behalf of the industry.”
Recognizing there are challenges ahead facing growers, LaJoie said it’s important to stick together.
“We’re going to have to learn to be less dependent on the state of Maine for money to further industry programs. We need to increase focus on customer demand on all sectors of the industry, and continue to improve technology and chemistry for precision agriculture,” said LaJoie. “The Maine potato industry will continue to face many challenges and opportunities, but with younger people becoming more involved in the industry, that will be the key to future success. We need to help them prepare for their future. We have a strong voice in Maine, and if we stick together, we can keep that.”
Earlier in the meeting, the 2008 Maine Potato Board members were introduced. Serving on the board with LaJoie are Murray Blackstone, vice president, of Caribou; Bart Bradbury, secretary, of Easton; and Brandon Roope, treasurer, of Presque Isle.
Also, David Bartlett of Houlton, Todd Bradley of Easton, Shawn Doyen of Mapleton, Erica Fitzpatrick-Peabody of Easton, Jeff Irving of Caribou, Mark Tarr of Washburn, Donovan Todd III, ex-officio, of Bangor, and Andrew Yaeger of Presque Isle.
The Maine Potato Board’s annual dinner and meeting was originally scheduled for March 21, but was rescheduled due to a snowstorm.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
STEVE BELYEA, left, Potato Marketing Improvement Fund potato storage consultant, received the Maine Potato Board’s President’s Award from Dominic LaJoie at the Board’s annual dinner and meeting held April 11 at the Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center.
