Raker’s Center to Open This Week

The state of Maine leads the country in wild blueberry production and the harvest is about to begin in earnest.

One sign of the impending harvest, other than the hues of blue that can been seen across the barrens Downeast, is the annual opening of the Raker's Center.

The Raker's Center provides a variety of support services for the over 1,000 migrant workers who show up to help harvest the crop.

At the center, migrant farm workers and their families can get legal and employment advice, medical care, and information on educational resources for their children. The center also has a food pantry.

Last year about 91.1 million pounds of blueberries were harvested and experts says this year's crop looks like it will produce an average yield.

The Raker's Center will open Thursday, August 1, 2103 and is located on the Epping Road in Columbia, next to the Columbia Town Hall.