14

Early elevators diggers were driven by steel wheels with steel lugs and drawn by mostly four horses. In the 1950's elevator diggers were mounted on rubber tires and driven by power take-off from the tractor.

15

Potato Picker
1950
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada

16

The potato picker introduced in the late 1940's became quite popular in Prince Edward Island during the early 1950's. It was towed behind an elevator digger, and consisted of a moving elevator chain and a bagging apparatus at the rear. Workers sifted through the chain and picked off potato tops and rocks leaving only the potatoes to fall into the bags. The full bags were removed and replaced with empty ones.

17

Slat Grader (Built by local farmer, Eddie MacNevin)
1950
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada

18

Potatoes are prepared for marketing by culling out damaged, diseased, and misshaped tubers. Later they are graded by size to accommodate the consumer's perference for peeling, slicing or cubing medium sized potatoes and moderately large potatoes. After culling the potatoes they are stored.

19

Sanford Phillips
1950
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada

20

Sanford Phillips with the combined efforts of William MacAulay, Perley MacNeill and Gordon Adams built the first frost-free warehouse in 1929. The O'Leary Produce Company was destroyed by fire in the late fall of 1933. In 1934 Sanford Phillips opened a new warehouse.
The original O'Leary Produce Company using primitive methods served a vital need to the farmers in the area and the business flourished until the eventual sale in 1952 to H.B. Willis Incorporated.

21

Donald MacKenzie
17 October 2003
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada

22

In 1947 Don MacKenzie joined the H.B. Willis operation in Kingston, P.E.I. Several years later he became director and partner in the corporation. In 1953 H.B. Willis expanded its operation to Western P.E.I. and Don was put in charge of the new facility in O'Leary. In 1985 Don became President of the facility and in 1989 gained control of the company with an off Island partner. The company was named MacKenzie Trading.

23

Orville Willis
17 October 2003
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada

24

In 1953 Charles Willis and his son Orville bought a warehouse in O'Leary and renovated the building and installed the proper equipment in it to start in the potato dealing business. Over the years the business enlarged a great deal. In 1986 this business became known as O'Leary Potato Packers Ltd., a partnership with his friend Warren Ellis. Orville has certainly played a major role towards the promotion and growth of the industry.

25

O'Leary Potato Packers
17 October 2003
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada

26

O'Leary Potato Packers

27

Alton Rayner
1994
O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada