Quebec Family Farm Bags 160,000 Pounds of Potatoes by Hand

Members of the Thomas and Delforge family farm have been forced to bag more than 160,000 pounds of potatoes — by hand. The family farm located in Coteau-du-Lac, 40 minutes west of Montreal, is a major producer for regional food suppliers.

According to globalnews.ca, the farm produces some 2,500 tons of potatoes a year for companies which then transform them into French fries and other delicacies for the restaurant industry.

The economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has lowered demand for potatoes, bringing the industry to a halt. That has left farmers like Jack Thomas with mountains of unsold produce.

Despite the setback, Thomas and his wife Ange-Marie Delforge have adapted their operations to save their produce and their bottom line. The married couple, which has owned the farm for 30 years, started bagging the potatoes and selling them from their property.

"It is not an easy feat, without the proper equipment," Delforge said, but "This is our profits."

The family has been bagging the spuds by hand, filling the 50-pound bags.

They produce about 100 to 125 bags a day and sell them for USD15 a pouch at a kiosk at the entrance of their farm. So far, some 70,000 pounds have been sold, with another 80,000 remaining.