Friday, December 30, 2011
In May 2011, the Latremore family sold their family-owned insurance agency. After evaluating other businesses that would keep the family together and provide a dependable income, brothers Curtis and Chris Latremore decided to raise eggs for Pete & Gerry’s. Curtis also wanted to provide a job for his 21 year-old autistic son, Kegan, in a rural community that doesn’t have a lot of employment opportunities.
So they bought 35 acres of land in Chazy NY and built two 20,000-hen poultry barns complete with winter gardens and pasture areas for the hens. The new farm complex also features a large office and equipment maintenance building. Their first flock of 20,000 organic hens arrived on October 29th, and the second flock arrived three weeks later.
The Latremores had no poultry experience, but they’re eager to learn; and their new barns are fully automated. Feed, water and ventilation are all continuously monitored by a central console. The eggs are mechanically collected and put on flats. A cold storage room keeps the eggs chilled until the weekly pickup by Pete & Gerry’s.
Curtis and Chris manage the farm and help out with packing and maintenance but still work for the insurance agency. The farm provides Kegan with a permanent job packing and palletizing the eggs. Kegan’s grandfather, Glenn Latremore, who founded the insurance agency back in 1969 also helps with packing.
Kegan is pleased to join the family business. He says he wants to be the “Temple Grandin” of the poultry industry. Dr. Grandin, who is also autistic, is a nationally-known advocate for humane animal treatment in the beef industry.
Chris, Glenn, Kegan and Curtis Latremore pause for a photo in the packing room of their new poultry farm complex.
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