P.E.I. t-shirts celebrate harvest survival

Nov 14, 2018

The shirts highlight the strength of the ag community

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A small design project for a friend in Prince Edward Island has turned into a rallying cry for local potato farmers.

A friend from a potato farm family approached Kristina Allen, a designer and owner of Elysian Weddings & Events, to create a t-shirt to pay tribute to the 2018 harvest.

“Everyone knows that Island farmers have had a difficult year,” she told Farms.com.

Heavy rains and cold temperatures created tough harvest conditions, but also helped strengthen bonds within the farming community. A group of farmers came together over the weekend, for example, to help a fellow potato producer finish his harvest.

Allen’s t-shirt design is simple, yet effective.

It features the caption “I SURVIVED THE 2018 PEI POTATO HARVEST.” An image of three potatoes is underneath.

“The shirts are a reminder that, yes, it was a tough season, but they got through it. They can get through anything,” Allen said. “What started as a little fun project has turned into a point of pride for the farmers who wear them.”

Allen thought the t-shirt orders would stop at one. But interest in the shirts increased after a photo of the shirt appeared on social media.

“Messages about the shirts has really picked up lately,” Allen said. “I’ve received somewhere around 50 orders and have had farmers reach out to ask for shirts for their whole staff as a thank you for their hard work this year.”

She’s even had some of her wedding clients ask for the shirts.

“Some of the brides I work with have also asked for shirts for themselves because they’ve essentially been farm widows,” Allen said with a laugh.

Anne Phillips photo

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm