Farmer’s Market Mural

In Fort Kent, a town located at the very top of Maine, farming is a way of life. Potatoes, the most popular crop, hold a special place in the community—and on plates. Walk into any diner and you can get plates heaped high with French fries, gravy, and cheese curds. Or if you prefer, try some crispy-yet-soft jojos. In this region, Acadian culture has rich roots, so it’s not unusual to find yourself noshing on potato doughnuts, cookies, muffins, pie, or casserole.

Since 2012, potatoes have played a more public role in the lives of Mainers, thanks to the large mural painted on the side of the former A.D. Soucy Company Farm Supply building. The city commissioned local artist Darren Connors to create the scene, which shows rows of potato barrels and pickers in the field with farm trucks and tractors, all set against the colorful backdrop of autumn leaves. Measuring 35 feet by 15 feet, this painting is dedicated to the farmers of Fort Kent. “This is of particular significance for me because I was raised on a farm, I live on a farm, and I work on a farm,” said Fort Kent Town Manager Don Guimond in an interview with the Bangor Daily News. “This mural shows a way of life…and the connection between agriculture, nature, and our community.”