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Hockeyjockey58 t1_j5q7b0a wrote

Reply to comment by bigbluedoor in The Irving Family is the single largest landowner in Maine, owning 1,267,792 in the state. They have also planted more than 1 billion trees across Canada and the United States. by Raz0rRamon

FWIW, when you cross the border up there, the Northwoods opens up to farmland. Privately held land is sometimes part of the conservation equation. The fact that Irving makes its money in forestry is mainly why the Northwoods stays as woods.

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hike_me t1_j5qc2dg wrote

The land that was suitable for agriculture was cleared and developed as such. That’s where potatoes are grown in northern Maine.

When Maine sold off vast tracts of state held forestland, they assumed the timber barons would clear it and then sell it off to homesteaders. Turns out it was shitty farmland so that didn’t happen.

As you go even farther north into Quebec you eventually arrive at the St Lawrence valley, which has good farmland.

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