Giving the farmers a ‘good day’s work’
REMEMBER WHEN
by Guy Woodworth
As we were riding the other day, I noticed that the potatoes were all out of the blossom period and some of the earlier varieties had been sprayed to kill the tops prior to digging during harvest. Oh the memories!
We used to awaken to the sound of Wayne Knight on the radio playing the Dick Curlis song “Tater Raisin’ Man”, while he was exhorting the pickers to “get right up and around now and eat a good hearty breakfast so you can give that farmer a good day’s work.” Mom would pack us a lunch and then we would be off for the field and our day of … torture.
Actually it was WORK. Picking crews have gone the route of the Edsel now. Mechanized harvesting operations have taken over. Gone are the days of barrels, tickets, gloves and, of course, lunch with your buddies in the “barrel fort” you built.
I guess, for my generation and perhaps, the one after mine, potato picking was a rite of passage. The major blessing of potato harvest was to be able to earn some cash to help your parents by buying your own school clothes and having a little coin left over to maybe take in a show or go out to eat.
Ahhh the good old days that now all we can do is Remember When…
Guy Woodworth of Presque Isle is a 1973 graduate of Presque Isle High School and a four-year Navy veteran. He and his wife Theresa have two grown sons and five grandchildren. He may be contacted at lightning117_1999@yahoo.com.
