Agriculture

Agriculture is both the current and traditional mainstays of the Limestone economy, providing a noticeable impact on all aspects of the Limestone community. There are over 12,000 acres of farmland in Limestone with 10,500 acres classified as cropland. A large majority of this cropland is designated "prime agricultural soils" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. An estimated 60% of this cropland, or 6,000 acres, is utilized for the production of potatoes. Some 155 million pounds of potatoes are grown

annually in Limestone, enough to meet the combined consumption requirements of the cities of San Francisco and Boston for one year. Traditional round white varieties such as Katahdin, Superiors, Ontarios and Kennebecs, are gradually being replaced by the Russet types, including Aroostook's own Belrus potato. Limestone has been ranked among the top five potato producing communities in the State of Maine during the past 40 years. Other crops produced locally are oats, clover, peas, broccoli, rye and to a lesser extent, hay millet, barley and buckwheat. In the past two years Limestone has become the test bed for the re-introduction of flax production in the Northeast.

Agriculture in Limestone is highly mechanized and includes giant potato storage houses large enough to hold up to 15 million pounds of potatoes. Despite the level of mechanization achieved a good part of the community turns out each fall to help with potato harvest. The high school recesses for several weeks each fall for students to aid farmers with harvest. Potatoes are packed and shipped throughout the winter and spring months. Several of these storage's have been equipped with refrigeration equipment to extend the shipping season into the summer months. Recent potato industry efforts to upgrade potato shipment quality, introduce new and improved varieties, and promote the Main Potato, is expected to help insure the continued viability of Limestone agriculture and the Limestone community…Home Of The World's Best Potatoes.