The Seafood News
A Commitment to Locally Grown Food: Weathervane Partners with Maine Farmers
When you think of potatoes you might think of Idaho. However, did you know that the potato is Maine’s primary agricultural product? Located in one of the best potato growing regions in the country and serving over 400,000 pounds of potatoes annually – in 2014, Weathervane served over 50,500 pounds of mashed potatoes, 322,250 pounds of French fries and 62,400 pounds of baked potatoes – it only made sense that Weathervane Restaurants look no further than its own backyard for the hearty vegetable so loved by Weathervane guests.
This year, continuing our mission to offer sustainable, locally grown products, we are partnering with local Maine potato farmers. Every potato served at Weathervane, be it mashed, fried or baked, will have been grown locally, meaning our guests get a fresher product all while supporting the local economy and farm to table movement.
Potato Farming in Aroostook County
Due to the rich fertile soil, climate, and strong manufacturing facilities, Aroostook County in northern Maine is a prime location for potato farms, producing about 90% of the state’s potatoes. Today, Maine is the sixth largest potato producer by acres in the country. As the farm to table movement becomes more and more popular, potato farming in the state is growing. According to the Portland Press Herald, “Eight percent more of Maine’s 19.1 million acres are farmed now than were in 2007.”
This increase in potato production in Maine has had a positive effect on the local economy. A Mainbiz article stated, “In the last 10 years, the amount of acreage planted in the state has remained steady at around 57,000 acres and more young farmers are taking up potato-growing. The state’s 380 potato farmers are responsible for some 5,000 jobs, directly and indirectly, in the state, according to state agriculture statistics.”
A Commitment to Sustainable, Locally Grown Food
Weathervane’s commitment to community, sustainability and locally grown food made a partnership with Maine potato farmers in Aroostook County a natural decision. By making a yearly commitment to local farmers, Weathervane can guarantee that its restaurants will be serving locally grown potatoes year round while simultaneously supporting the local potato farmers, giving them a guaranteed stream of income year after year.
Jim Collins, Director of Procurement Programs for Weathervane Restaurants, said, “Our goal is to have everything grown as locally as possible [where it makes sense],” further explaining that they wouldn’t discard a popular menu item simply because it could not be sourced locally. “Locally grown food helps the local economy and is fresher due to less travel and less handling,” he said.
Potatoes are not the first item to have gone local at Weathervane. Much of the seafood served at the restaurant is from local fisheries and caught through sustainable practices. Weathervane also supports the community through a number of programs including Chowdah for Charity, Claws for a Cause, Send’em for Seafood, Seafood Makes Cents and the Lobster Lore Program, which teaches school children about the importance of sustainability of lobsters and the impact on the environment.
Collins noted that in addition to the potatoes and seafood they hope to explore other menu items, in the future, that could be grown and sourced locally. But for now the focus is on the potatoes. “We care about our guests and we care about the local economy. Our latest commitment to the Maine potato farmers is just one more way to show that,” said Collins.
At Weathervane Seafood Restaurants we take pride in our commitment to the local community and believe our dedication to locally sourced food is second to none. Be sure to stop by one of our restaurants in ME or NH and ask us about our homegrown, straight from the farm, Maine potatoes.
