Potato planting on PEI usually runs from April to May. Ellen’s Diary from June 20, 1949 talks about set-cutting, a process in which potatoes are cut into smaller pieces to be planted. It also refers to a change in variety of potato that year. Nowadays on PEI, the most common varieties of potato grown are russets, whites and reds.

“We commenced the set-cutting this morning, while a June wind blew about the eaves and tossed the branches of the old white birch playfully and carried to us in the garage the sunshine and bird-song and fragrance with which this day has been replete. This building was the scene of our work, which our husbands term ‘only a pleasant pastime- especially if one has time on her hands!’ There the farmers had carried the potatoes intended for our seed, untreated this year, a strange feature at Alderlea but having been first subjected to long spells out of doors in the sunlight.

We are using new seed, having discarded those of a pioneer strain we had grown with marked success and continuously for close to a quarter of a century. From a doorway James remarked sceptically: ‘We’ll see if these will be as good!’ as our sharp knives bit into these- also of ‘the four hundred.’ ‘Make good sets now’ he reminded us, and Jeanie and I laughed over his apparent lack of confidence in our ability after our years spent apprenticed to him.”

Ellen’s Diary, June 20, 1949