Gerald McKenna 30 ac

Cavendish Farms 650 ac Sydney Green 220 ac Barry Green 100 ac Garth Toombs 100 ac Patrick Curley 100 ac Ernest Mulligan 30 ac Eddie McIvor 50 ac

The Potato in 1984 In 1984, the approximate acreage of potatoes grown in all the Freetown districts was about 2400 acres.

Potato Inspectors continue to make regular trips to check the Freetown fields during the growing season and later to check the graded potatoes before they were shipped.

Currently potatoes are shipped by rail, water and truck. The bags are loaded onto a truck by conveyor or escalator at the warehouse.

In some cases bags are packed on pallets and loaded on trucks with front end fork lifts. Shipment going by rail or water are transported within the maritimes mainly, in three ton trucks with insulated frost proof covered boxes. Shipments going directly by truck to market outside the maritimes are loaded into twenty five ton tractor trailers.

Potatoes have emerged over the years to be the main cash crop on P.E.I. Many changes have been made from the days of early settlement to improve the quality and increase the quantity of potatoes produced. The future will probably see an increase in potato production and of wash potatoes for the tablestock market. It could be called the backbone of industry in our province.

The Community of Freetown is in one of the prime potato growing regions of the province and its residents will continue to benefit from the employment and the industry potatoes produce. There is an air of excitement in the community during the potato harvest. Many of us have experienced it. This excitement was at its highest peak in recent memory on November 10 and 11, 1984 when over 40 area residents pooled their manpower and equipment to help Bobby Jardine complete his harvest. Yes! Potatoes do play an important part in community life at Freetown.

Sources of Information

Selected Agricultural Statistics-Canada and the Provinces 1983 Agriculture in the Atlantic Provinces 1967

P.E.I. Daily Examiner — Various issues

1841 Census of P.E.I.

1861 Census of P.E.I.

1871 Census of PE].

1881 Census of P.E.I.

1891 Census of Canada

1901 Census of Canada

P.E.I. Legislature Assembly Journals

Canada Dept. of Agriculture, Publication 1281 (1967)

P.E.I. Potato Handbook, 1980

Atlantic Canada Potato Guide 1983

Land Adjustment Problems in P.E.I., Geographical Paper no. 45 (1970) P.E.I. Potato Growers Association, annual reports

P.E.I. Dept. of Agriculture, annual reports

Development of the Potato Industry, R.R. Hurst

A Faithful Friend - The Potato, L.C. Callbeck

File Reports - Canada Dept. of Agriculture, Seed Potato Inspection Branch Handbook of P.E.I. W.H. Crosskill, 1906

Lewis & Lewis Account Book 1925-1927

Austin A. Scales, Potato Crop Records 1924—1957

Dunk River Farmers Institute Minute Books

Article by Neil A. Matheson on Seed Potatoes in Charlottetown Guardian, 1965

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