09/30/2026
Have you ever come to Potato Digging at Bragg Farms? If you haven’t, you just might want to give it a try this coming weekend- for our final weekend of Potato Harvest!
We brought this unique experience to Durham Region because we want people to have a relationship with their local farmers, local farms and with locally grown food. For many of us, our relationship with food doesn’t extend much beyond the grocery store. But, that’s not where food comes from and let’s face it, when we rely on imports, shelf life doesn’t last long enough either.
Believe it or not, once upon a time, Potato Harvest was very much a community activity. And, more impressive than that, when done properly -potatoes kept in their own rich soil and wrapped in burlap will last all winter long. It’s a very sustainable practice!
We’ve always loved to share historical photos of our own farm and our own lineage but for the purpose of education, we always enjoy sharing these images found in the Library & Archives of Canada as well as The Royal Collection, showing Potato Digs from the past- Yes! even The Royals participated in Potato Digging.
Most of these images were taken in the early 1900s. Photo 5&6 show Queen Anne and King George in 1917 digging potatoes at Windsor Castle. Photo 7&8 show the late Queen Mom and young Princess Elizabeth & Princess Margaret, where all people’s regardless of status were encouraged to “Dig for Victory.” Men were away at war and harvest still needed to take place. It was an effort that everyone would participate in.
