Native people were the first to farm in Maine. The tools they used were stone ax’s, rocks, antlers, and oyster shells to make mounds to plant corn and beans surrounded by tree stumps. They also used fish for fertilizer and showed the first Pilgrims how to gather clams.
 The women and children did the planting and harvesting. After the mounds were made they used a stick to poke holes. Then they would put only four seeds in each hill, three corn seeds and one kidney bean. The kidney bean would grow around the stalks of the corn to support it.
 Plows and animals came from Europe in the late 1600’s and helped with farming. In 1720 the first potato arrived in Maine. By 1820 the potato was replacing corn as the number one crop.

By Randy
 

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