Potato Planting on Maine's Wood Prairie Family Farm.

In this shot, Jim is following the previously planted row and driving our reliable mid-1960s Oliver 1750 Diesel tractor pulling behind it our Tuber Unit Potato Planter.

The enlarged green 'Fertilizer Box' on the planter behind him is outfitted with an at one time breakthrough stainless steel conveyor chain. The 'chain' precisely meters out and dispenses dry organic ground rock fertilizer. Tubes place its steady dusty flow 2" below and 2" beside each seed pieces so plant roots will grow down into the fertility bonanza. By fabricating an add-on extension to the Fertilizer Box we are able to apply over an acre's worth (about 1200#) of blended-ground-up-rock-fertilize before having to refill.

In its single-minded potato-centric culture - and only marginally tongue-in-cheek - Aroostook County has developed an irresistible expression "if a little bit is good, a lot's gotta be better" which has universally captivated local thinking. One can see this belief system silently playing out in the rigor with which we deploy organic biological inoculants in our not one, not two, but three-stage-program to improve the health and performance of each seed piece and the rhizosphere in which it resides. The stainless steel 55-gal drums at the tractor's front contain a Wood Prairie concocted liquid seed inoculant solution. Coinciding with the two-row Potato Planter, two chisel plow teeth have been positioned on the mid-mount tool bar under the tractor's belly to hollow out and fluff up seed bed soil. Simultaneously, this special inoculant solution is dribbled deep into the trench which will become the seed piece rhizosphere. Potato plants have never had it so good!

We're done with planting potatoes and soon to be done planting everything else. We had pretty good moisture through May, but following the pattern of recent years it's now turned dry with June. Hope you're getting enough moisture and that your family and crops are doing well!