and assemble the orders for distribution. All three
children are good students and have participated in
school sports. Kelsy won many titles and awards as
a cross-country skier in high school, and was chosen as one of the first in a group of young people in
northern Maine to ski for the U.S. Junior Biathlon
team and race on the international circuit.
The Ployes business had its beginnings in
the 1980’s, when Alban, who was a potato farmer,
faced some tough times as potato farming in
northern Maine began its steep decline. According
to the Maine Potato Board in Presque Isle, potato
farming covered approximately 200,000 acres at
its peak and dominated the economy of Aroostook
County. Hundreds of small family farms became
consolidated into larger farms with more efficient
operations as the smaller farms began to go out of
business. The Bouchards credit the Ployes mix with
saving the family farm. At the time, Alban and
Rita’s daughter, Claire, had returned from a trip to
Louisiana with a mix for beignets, a French doughnut. While the family sat around enjoying the beignets, Rita asked, “Why couldn’t we do the same for
ployes?” The idea for Ployes mix was born, and the
search for the perfect recipe was on. Alban converted many of his potato fields to buckwheat, and
before long, a two-car garage was converted into a
mixing and packaging facility. In 1997, an 8,000
square foot building was erected on the property to
house the entire operation, including the mill.
Above: Buckwheat
Left: Practically Perfect Ployes
Each year in early September, the Bouchards
wait for the first frost to ripen the buckwheat,
then harvest and dry it to remove excess moisture
before storing it in grain silos. They try to wait for
the buckwheat to become dry enough in the fields
before harvesting to avoid overuse of the expensive mechanical drying process. Then they mill as
needed, to ensure the freshness of the flour. Botanically speaking, since buckwheat is not a grain
at all, it does not contain gluten, and it’s also a
rich source of complex carbohydrates, potassium,
phosphorus, iron, and high quality protein. The
Acadian Buckwheat Flour is gluten-free, and the
Bouchards are in the process of acquiring official
certification for the product through the Celiac
Sprue Association. The Bouchards are mirroring a
current trend among specialty food producers to
supply their customers with wholesome foods that
are minimally processed and produced by artisans,
rich in both flavor and heritage.
SUMMER & FALL 09 Bouchard Family 31