David Bell drives a tractor while pulling a potato harvester Thursday at Bell Farms in Lewiston. The Bell family has been farming in the Lewiston and Auburn area since 1937. Bell and his brother Ray are third generation Bell farmers.

Molly Bell drives a potato truck Thursday at Bell Farms in Lewiston. Bell had a career in dentistry before deciding she was more interested in farming.

David Bell, left, and Miguel Lord harvest potatoes Thursday at Bell Farms in Lewiston. Bell pulls the harvester while Lord does the first inspection before the potatoes are put into a truck driven by Molly Bell. David Bell said he is about halfway through the potato harvest season, and sandy soil along the Androscoggin River has helped soak up the abundance of rain over the summer. “This is the first year ever that we have not had to irrigate,” he said. Bell said that while the weather dictates a lot in farming, rain does not get in the way. “I have been doing this for so long, it really does not matter. Just get the job done,” he said.

David Bell said potatoes are sorted into three sizes: small, medium and large. Potatoes such as this large one are perfect for making french fries, he said. For years he has been donating large potatoes to the Edward Little Grandstand Club to make french fries at football games.

Miguel Lord inspects potatoes Thursday from the top of a potato harvester at Bell Farms in Lewiston. The Bell family farms properties in Auburn, Durham and Lewiston.

Potatoes are harvested Thursday at Bell Farms in Lewiston. David Bell said he is about halfway through the harvest season, and sandy soil along the Androscoggin River has helped soak up the abundance of rain over the summer. “This is the first year ever that we have not had to irrigate,” he said. While the weather dictates a lot in farming, he said rain does not get in the way. “I have been doing this for so long, it really does not matter. Just get the job done,” Bell said.

Norwis potatoes roll up a conveyor belt Thursday at Bell Farms in Lewiston. David Bell said his family started growing Norwis potatoes for the Frito-Lay company to make potato chips. The potato proved to be quite diverse, and the family now finds them popular for dinner plates as well as for french fries at county fairs.