It’s crunch time in New Brunswick’s potato country after a dry, difficult season

In the Canadian imagination, Prince Edward Island is the land of the potato. While smaller, the lesser-known upper Saint John River Valley in New Brunswick punches above its weight in the spud industry, with high-yield crops that many farmers attribute to fertile soil.

The valley, which runs down the western edge of New Brunswick from Grand Falls to Woodstock, is home to potato-growing hubs such as Florenceville-Bristol, the self-appointed “French Fry Capital of the World” and birthplace of the founders of McCain Foods.