My dad was a Maine potato farmer and instead of just growing his own for market, he bought potatoes from others too and was a spud broker.

It seemed logical to buy a trailer truck to haul them to market too. Usually in Boston, Hartford, New York City. The first trailer was a 1957 Trailmobile. But after after all the trailers were Great Dane brand.

That first truck a single “screw” with a tag axle with Prem Pak hand painted on the door by local artist Allison Britton. The trailer’s were shorter, I think 38 feet and the loads less until Interstates started popping up and more powerful trucks were put on the roads.

Eventually eight trucks collected. Whites, an International Transtar, A Peterbilt were added to the Maine transportation fleet.

As a kid my three brothers and I took trips from Maine to the city produce markets.

Helped unload and saw lots of other truckers bringing in grapefruit, tomatoes, various produce to go with the Maine potatoes we hauled in. Then high tailed it back to Aroostook County to load up another trailer. Do it again. no matter what the weather.

Having a truck back haul was critical to help with the fuel, and subsidize the trip. My dad and mom had bought ICC rights because cargo hauling was regulated. You had to have the authority to haul certain comodities to market. Loads for other drivers, usually french fry cartoons but sometimes something exotic like Jade East perfume boxes were hauled up to the St John River Valley where it was “bottled” for reshipment. 25% of the backhaul for other truckers that had to tape on a “Prem Pak” sign to their doors went in to the trucking operating account.

Because trucks were one arm of the Maine potato growing business, I had one brother who became a mechanic engineer and worked his way up through the ranks of White Frieghtliner to eventual management of the Portland Oregon truck plant. He grew up designing trailer trucks and cars..working long hours in his room with a desk dad had built to create the new designs, master piece layouts. The businesses your parents are in give exposure to job areas that may lead to your career employment.

My parents also built a large central potato packaging warehouse to store and process the potato orders from the city produce markets. And another brother worked on that construction project. He became a civil engineer and works in the Boston area.

The jobs, careers your parent’s expose their Maine families to can lead to directions, choices, paths their kids decide to go. I am glad I grew up in Maine and in a family where lots of business exposure seen first hand by working in them in my childhood. Maine, neat state, no crime, friendly people. Like to consider owning some Maine real estate part or full time? That’s where I come in when you are ready.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com.