Step Back in Time: A look at the county's 'people of the field'

This month’s Step Back in Time is from the fourth in a series of six books written by members of the Otsego County Historical Society’s History Matters group. The book “Otsego County - Polish Heritage” was published in 2023 and can be purchased at the Historical Society museum on Main Street and at the Otsego County Library. Cathy and Jim Hilgendorf have contributed to all six history books as members of the History Matters group. Jim passed away earlier this year.

GAYLORD — Early Poles called themselves “Polanie,” which can be translated as “people of the field.” They felt the pull of the soil and were drawn to the agricultural way of life. Many Polish immigrants came to the once dense forest of Otsego County to prepare the unbroken soil and venture into farming. They settled all across the county — Elmira, Bagley, Livingston, Dover, Chester and Charlton townships — where the best farmland was located.

The fertile soil proved to be excellent for potato growing. Wherever they settled they were highly praised as farmers. Potatoes were Otsego County’s main crop for many years.

“Potato Farming Near Elmira” appears in “Step Back in Time” - Vol. 3. It details the potato farming process from planting through harvesting. Harvest time was especially labor intensive. In the late summer spuds were dug, crated or bagged and hauled to market. Students from area schools enjoyed a “potato vacation” providing extra potato harvest labor.

Today human potato harvesters have been replaced by modern mechanical pickers and loaders.

Potato growing created a need for warehouses. Large buildings, with scales to weigh the potato wagons, were constructed by men such as Thomas Buell, Frank Zaremba, Stanley Kwapis and Frank Polus. The potatoes were stored in bins until they could be shipped by rail to different parts of the state and country.

In addition, table potato growing was becoming a risky business. In 1975 Les Howard, Otsego County Extension Agent, gave possible reasons for potato price declines which included buyer resistance, soaring production costs, tripled costs for pesticides and insecticides, industry shortages and weather conditions. The trend was toward greater specialization.

One hundred pounds of “normal” potatoes would yield 10 to 11 pounds of potato chips. One hundred pounds of high specific potatoes (FL 1553) would yield 14 pounds of chips. Most potatoes would now be grown for seed stock rather than table stock.

For the brief overview of Otsego County potato growers with Polish ancestry, two farm families were selected: Dobleski in Elmira and Sklarczyk in Johannesburg. Joseph Dobleski (originally Dobrzelewski) and his son Steve were among the first growers in the Elmira area.

At the other end of the county (to the east) Don and Mary Kay Sklarczyk developed high tech innovations that continue to be utilized by their next generation.

From a 1924 Gaylord Herald Times column “The Northern Michigan Farmer,” reported that growers were experiencing a period of change and development in the seed potato business. The author stated the farmer had four choices: 1) Produce stock for the early market. 2) Ensure better grading of common potato stock. 3) Certify seed potato production (for the “progressive” farmer). 4) Quit.