Green Thumb Farms in Maine: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Green Thumb Farms of Fryeburg, Maine, farms more than 2,200 acres in the Saco River Valley and, according to USDA Rural Development, is the largest fresh pack potato grower outside Aroostook County. Founded in 1965 and now moving into a fourth generation, it sells its Cold River Gold potatoes in New England supermarkets and grows about 1,300 acres of feed corn a year.
| Location | Fryeburg, Oxford County, Maine (Saco River Valley) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1965 |
| Sectors | Potatoes; feed corn; turf; dry beans |
| Scale | More than 2,200 acres; about 1,300 acres of feed corn and roughly 225,000 bushels a year, per USDA Rural Development |
| Why it is elite | Largest fresh pack potato grower outside Aroostook County per USDA Rural Development; first grain dryer of its kind in Maine |
| Ownership | Family owned; Jim Pitreau is president and a fourth generation has joined |
| Official website | Green Thumb Farms official site |
History of Green Thumb Farms
Green Thumb Farms was founded in 1965 in western Maine's Saco River Valley, far from the Aroostook County potato belt that dominates the state's reputation. Building a large potato operation outside Aroostook meant working with different soils, a different shipping geography and a closer link to New England retail customers.
Jim Pitreau is the farm's president, and USDA reports that a fourth generation has recently started working on the farm. The business has grown to more than 2,200 acres and diversified into several crops, which is how many multi-generation farms keep young family members employed without simply splitting the same acreage.
What Green Thumb Farms Grows and Raises
Potatoes are the primary product, sold in part under the Cold River Gold brand in New England supermarkets. The farm also grows turf, dry beans and corn, according to a potato industry directory listing, and feed corn covers about 1,300 acres each year. Corn serves a second purpose as a rotation crop that supports soil health for the potatoes.
In August 2024 the farm installed a high-efficiency grain dryer, the first of its kind in Maine, with help from a USDA Rural Energy for America Program grant of about $233,000 toward a $466,000 cost. USDA reports that drying time fell from about two months to about two weeks and that fuel savings are estimated at about $28,000 per year.
How Green Thumb Farms Makes Money
Fresh pack potatoes
Potatoes are the farm's main product, packed and sold fresh, including under the Cold River Gold brand. A brand tied to a place gives supermarket buyers and shoppers a reason to choose local over a generic bag.
Feed corn and rotation crops
About 1,300 acres of feed corn each year yield roughly 225,000 bushels, per USDA. The farm also lists turf and dry beans. A second and third crop smooth out weather and price swings in the potato market.
Energy savings from the dryer
The USDA success story describes estimated annual fuel savings of about $28,000 from the new dryer. Cutting a recurring cost is a revenue strategy too, particularly when a federal grant shares the capital cost.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Green Thumb Farms
The first lesson is that a branded, regional fresh pack can compete against the largest potato region by selling proximity to New England customers. The second lesson is to pair crops that help each other: corn rotates with potatoes and also gives the farm a grain product to dry and sell.
The third lesson is to hunt for grant support on capital projects. USDA covered about half the cost of the dryer, and the farm turned a long drying bottleneck into a two-week job. Operators can check REAP and other programs through farmers.gov and their state USDA offices.
Potatoes grown outside Aroostook County are a bit like a lobster roll made inland, and Fryeburg growers have clearly made the case that the Saco River Valley does it well. Anyone hunting farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor or farm jokes can browse farm.FM between drying cycles. A grain dryer that cuts two months to two weeks is the kind of speed-up even the corn would applaud.
Readers who want the full experience can pair the jokes with Tractor Tunes, the country music for farmers that farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, plays between stories. This author page is a fine starting point.
How to Contact Green Thumb Farms
Website: https://greenthumbfarms.com/
The farm's domain was identified in a USDA Rural Development success story in November 2026; no street address, phone or email was verified. Use the contact options on the official site and confirm before visiting.
Green Thumb Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Green Thumb Farms - Official site and Cold River Gold potato information
- USDA Rural Development success story - Independent coverage of the REAP-funded grain dryer
- PotatoPro company listing - Industry directory listing for Green Thumb Farms
- UMaine Cooperative Extension agriculture programs - University help for Maine growers
- USDA farmers.gov - Federal programs and loans for growers
Green Thumb Farms FAQ
Where is Green Thumb Farms?
In Fryeburg, in western Maine's Saco River Valley.
How big is Green Thumb Farms?
USDA reports the farm occupies more than 2,200 acres, with about 1,300 acres of feed corn each year.
What is Cold River Gold?
It is the farm's potato brand, sold in New England supermarkets according to USDA Rural Development.
How did the grain dryer help?
USDA reports drying time fell from about two months to about two weeks and estimates fuel savings of about $28,000 per year.
Green Thumb Farms proves a large Maine potato business can thrive outside Aroostook County through branding, rotation and smart capital investment. Read the Maine farms guide for the state context and compare the other profiled operations.