Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. X X V N OV E M B E R 3 , 2 0 2 5 28 FA M I LY OW N E D B U S I N E S S F O C U S "Business is good," says Gerritsen, noting the COVID epidemic was a nat- ural boost for any business selling seed. "e years 2020 and 2021 were the best years for seed since World War II." Discerning customers Wood Prairie Family Farm harvests roughly 200,000 pounds of potatoes a year. e farm tries to get a good price for the product — specialty organic seed potatoes marketed to discerning customers. "One can always find less expen- sive potatoes than ours, but our qual- ity is quite good," says Gerritsen. He explains that in order to have a comparable business selling commod- ity potatoes, the farm would need to grow at least 200 acres. Gerritsen knows the ins and outs of Maine potato farming in more detail than most. He says consolida- tion has been the name of the game for quite some time — not just in Aroostook County. "As a reflection of this trend, in the mid-1970s there were 145,000 acres of potatoes grown by 1,200 potato farm- ers. Today there are about 52,000 acres grown by under 100 farmers," he says. e state lists 34 growers as certi- fied seed potato producers, with four of them being organic. "Most farmers are spending virtu- ally all of their time on production. We spend the majority of our time on marketing," says Gerritsen. With a colorful, informative catalog produced annually and fre- quent YouTube videos explaining the nitty gritty of growing organic seed potatoes in far northern Maine, the Gerritsens aim to engage directly with as many customers as possible. Humble beginnings Jim Gerritsen started his farm as a young man, camping on raw land. Now, the place boasts considerable infrastructure — and a thriving fam- ily. Jim's son Caleb is in charge of day- to-day operations and the workforce also includes Jim's wife Megan, oldest son Peter, a full-time employee and a few part-time helpers as well. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E View Our New Products FIRSTS YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT. COMMUNITY DEBIT CARDS The Greenlight card is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International. Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution customers are eligible for the Greenlight SELECT plan at no cost when they connect their Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution account as the Greenlight funding source for the entirety of the promotion. Subject to minimum balance requirements and identity verification. Upgrades will result in additional fees. Upon termination of promotion, customers will be responsible for associated monthly fees. See terms for details. O„er ends 11/14/2026. O„er subject to change and partner participation. Caleb Gerritsen standing on airhead of Lockwood potato harvester. Most farmers are spending virtually all of their time on production. We spend the majority of our time on marketing. — Jim Gerritsen Wood Prairie Family Farm P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F C A L E B G E R R I T S E N

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