Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 36 : Spring 2018 | Page 69

get their crops to market. These factors greatly increased
potato production to the point where Aroostook County
was known as the “potato capital of the world.”
With all this production, and most of it involving hand
labor, there was a tremendous need for farm workers
– particularly in the fall of the year at potato picking
time. During both World War I and World War II,
labor shortages were critical. Farmers needed the Native
American labor force to harvest the potatoes – and Native
Americans needed the employment – so a mutually
beneficial relationship developed between farmers and
Native Americans, which often included not only the
farm labor, but also the production of the necessary potato
baskets. Many Native American families came to the area
and worked for the same farmer over periods of many
years.
Over time, potato baskets changed slightly in design. Just
before the turn of the nineteenth century they were larger
and had a handle on either side requiring two people to
carry them, much like laundry baskets in design. These
were replaced with smaller versions and included two
specific types of baskets – one for harvesting apples, which
had a moveable handle; and one for harvesting potatoes
which had a fixed handle. Apple baskets were also
sometimes used for harvesting potatoes in the late 1800’s
and early 1900’s.
Potato harvest in Presque Isle in approximately 1911
from a postcard image. This image shows the potato
basket shape and form that became the standard
throughout the region.
Other changes to potato basket design involved using
wider and wider splints to make the baskets; using forms
or molds to make the baskets around to allow for more
uniform sizes; as well as no longer wrapping the tops of
the basket with ash splints, but instead nailing the rims
to the top and cutting the upright splints off instead of
folding them down into the basket as was previously done.
These changes allowed for faster production and more
uniformity of the baskets in order to meet the demand for
increased production of the baskets. Wider bottoms on
the baskets as they evolved allowed them to be more stable,
as well as to hold more potatoes.
With industrialization and mechanization, farmers
moved more and more toward less labor intensive forms
of harvesting their crops, and used less and less Native
American labor – and fewer potato baskets were needed.
By the mid 1970’s most potatoes were harvested with
machines - which required far less labor. The potato
basket fell into disuse although most farms still have some
around today.
Harvesting potatoes in Presque Isle from an early post-
card. Notice the apple basket in the front and the two-
handled basket held by the man on the right.
A few Native Americans c ontinue to produce and sell
potato baskets to collectors, the art market, and those who
have other uses for them – but on a far lesser scale than
in the past. Today, an older well-used potato basket, if
one can be found for sale, sells for about $50.00. Those
that are even older and in the hands of antique dealers can
bring hundreds of dollars. A newly constructed potato
basket can sell for $50 to $150. However, with the threat
of the loss of the brown ash tree in this region due to the
Emerald Ash Borer, and with fewer Native Americans
making baskets, the craft is being lost and in the not
so distant future, it is entirely possible that they will no
longer be created. Although, it is very much hoped by
your author, that this will not be the case.
SPRING 2018
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