Year in Review:
Potato industry officials hand out honors
Compiled by Kathy McCarty and Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writers
Several individuals and businesses involved in agriculture were honored in 2012 for their contributions to the industry.
Haines Mfg. in Presque Isle, which specializes in farm and non-bruising potato equipment, was honored at the annual Maine Potato Board dinner and meeting as outgoing president Brandon Roope presented Junior and Jackie Haines with the President’s Award.
“I thought long and hard about this … there’s a pile of people that deserve it,” said Roope, “but there’s a company right in Presque Isle that has done more for our industry than you’d ever know and that’s Haines Manufacturing.”
The company was purchased in 1930 by Junior Haines’ father, F. Harold Haines.
Joan Flewelling of Easton was honored by the Maine Agri-Women for her many years of service to the farm family, the Maine potato industry and her commitment and dedication to agriculture.
During the Maine Potato Board’s annual meeting and dinner, the Maine Agri-Women presented Flewelling with the 2012 Woman of the Year award.
After marrying her husband, Gaylen, Flewelling had the opportunity to hire the crew, count tickets and do payroll. She also had the chance to drive truck or run the bin piler if someone was missing.
Flewelling later took complete charge of hiring the harvester and potato house crew, did the payroll and books for her husband, and payroll for their son, Brent.
Flewelling has been a member of the National Potato Board, president of the National Potato Council Women’s Auxiliary in 1994, and past president and founding member of the Maine Agri-Women.
Kingsbury Family Farm of Bridgewater was named the 2011-12 McCain Foods Champion Potato Grower for Maine.
The McCain Top 10 Potato Growers were recognized last summer at the annual McCain Grower Barbecue at the Aroostook County Shiners’ Club in Presque Isle.
Champion grower selection is based on the highest standing quality of three delivery categories: field direct, winter storage and refrigerated storage.
Kingsbury Family Farm is a multi-generation potato and grain farming operation based in Bridgewater. The farm originated in 1977 when Keith and Donna purchased a small farm and started raising table, seed and some processing potatoes for various buyers throughout Aroostook County. During that time, the farm grew at a modest pace. With the addition in 1996 of Shane and Duska to the family business, a period of rapid growth ensued.
Due to the instability in the open tablestock and seed sectors of the potato business, the farm started to focus on growing process and chip potatoes under contract. Consistently meeting customer demands has allowed Kingsbury Family Farm to grow and secure contracts for all of their potato production. Acres are currently split between processing potatoes for McCain Foods in Easton and chipping potatoes for Aroostook Produce Distributors in Houlton.
The Maine Potato Board announced that Shawn Doyen of Willard C. Doyen & Sons Farm in Mapleton had been selected as the 2013 Young Farmer of the Year. Doyen lives in Mapleton with his wife, Christi, and their two children, Taylor, 7, and Charles, 3.
Doyen believes that farming is essential to the fabric of Maine history and culture. He sees the agricultural industry as a vital piece of our collective identity — part of what makes us Mainers. For Doyen, farming is particularly rooted in tradition.
“My grandfather, Willard, started out, followed by my father, Ross, and my uncles, Keith and Bill. It’s always been a Maine tradition and it should continue to be,” he said.
Doyen has been a member of the Maine Potato Board for five years, and is currently serving as the vice president. He is also on the Mapleton board of selectmen. He will be recognized and honored at the Maine Potato Board annual meeting in March.
