b'GROWERSPOTLIGHT Les Fermes PL Levesque Ltd.The Levesque family (left to right): Samuel, David, Mathias, Stephanie, Zackari, Lynn, Paul, Philippe, Angie, Michelle and Angelo.Growing Potatoes is a Family AffairAT LES FERMES PL Levesque Ltd., a 2,000-acreAn example of this is a potato yield monitor potato farm in Saint-Andr, N. B., you could sayused during harvest thats helped boost productivity farming runs in the family. I must enjoy it becauseon the farm. David says the yield maps produced Paul Levesque, who owns the farming operationby the system enable the growers to target areas along with his wife, Lynn, grows potatoes there, justIm still here. within fields where crops can benefit from addition-like his father and grandfather before him. Today, his PAUL LEVESQUE al inputs. two sons, Angelo and David, help run the farm, as doThe Levesques also utilize variable rate technol-three grandsons, Samuel, Zackari and Mathias, whoogy in their nutrient applications, which increases represent the sixth generation of potato growers inthe efficiency of their fertilization program and the Levesque clan. saves the farm some money as well.Paul, 62, started working at the farm as a teen- The springs are later now, and the falls haveCurrently, the Levesques potato fields are ager himself. I must enjoy it because Im still here. been getting shorter, he says. That means thefertilized with potash and lime, but the farm has About half of the acres at the Levesque farm aregrowing season is also getting shorter. started experimenting with liquid fertilizer.put to potatoes every year. All of them are RussetPauls son David says another big challenge forWe just started a project this year looking at Burbanks grown for McCain Foods, with the exceptionpotato producers these days is how to stay profitable.liquid fertilizer and we might end up doing variable of a few acres of seed potatoes the Levesques growThe price of potatoes is basically the same as itrate [applications] with that in the next four or five for themselves. was years ago, so youve got to be more efficient atyears, says David.There are eight or so people working on the farm,it, David says.David, his father, and the others in the Levesque Paul says, although that number goes up to 12 atOne of the ways the Levesque family is doingfamily, enjoy the farming life, especially the variety planting and 32 at harvest time. that is by embracing new technologies in precisionthat comes along with it. Paul has seen a lot during his four decades in theagriculture. We enjoy it because you dont do the same farming business, and he believes one of the biggestWe like to keep our equipment up to date. Wething every day; youre always doing something challenges potato growers face today is how to copealways have new technologies out here, and then wedifferent, David explains. Every year is different, with the changing climate. try to keep up with everybody else, says David. and its always a challenge. MARK HALSALL56 SPUDSMART.COM WINTER 2020'