By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
SHERMAN — Over the next few months the Sides Family Farm label will be on naturally grown pork products in meat cases at various Hannaford Bros. stores. Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
HOG SCRAMBLE — When Sam Sides goes near the pens, the hogs run up and down, probably thinking it’s feeding time. When away on business, his parents and brother help out by tending the hogs.
That’s thanks to a deal inked between a young farmer from Sherman and the supermarket chain located mostly in New England. Sam Sides said his first shipment of hogs was on its way to Charleston this week for processing.
The final products bearing the Sides Family Farm label “will be every type of cut – bacon, sausage, all your smoked meats, smoked shoulders, loins, boneless loins, whole loins, pork chops, bone-in, bone-out, ribs,” said Sides.
Growing niche for natural and organic products
The increasing consumer demand for naturally grown and organic products influenced Sides’ deal with Hannaford as well as an effort “to support the local farming economy and answer consumer desires for local products,” said Terry Harriman, meat/seafood category manager for Hannaford Bros.
Sides owns the farm and occasionally calls on his parents and brother who live nearby to look after things when he is away on business. “We are raising hogs farrow (birth) to finish. They’re not butchered here. We haul them to Charleston. The entire farm is devoted to pigs,” said Sides, a graduate of Iowa Lakes Community College and Northwest Missouri State University. Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
SHERMAN FARMER — Sam Sides stands near the silo on his Sides Family Farm where he may have to put up another building thanks to what he sees as a growing operation.
Due to the northern Maine climate, Sides said he raises hogs naturally, not organically, “because it’s not feasible to raise organic up here and allow hogs free-range access in winter.”
“The little ones stay three to four weeks with the mother. Then they get a corn and soybean ration and there are no growth hormones in their feed.” He said he purchased 130 hogs in Iowa that were vaccinated to cross state lines. The original shipment to Maine has multiplied to 380 and Sides said he expects to have as many as 1,500 hogs by next year.
Business ripple effect
The deal with Hannaford and eventually with other stores offers Sides the potential of a successful future as an entrepreneur while supporting local farmers and businesses in Aroostook County.
“Personally, I guess it kind of secures me and my family, hopefully, for staying here in the county. If we can secure a job and make a living here, we can stay right here. It means a growing business, that brings in money for surrounding communities. I have to buy oil and grain. I support other grain farmers around here. And, by having this farm, I do business with local banks and I buy fuel and tires. It generates income in the area.”
Sides said he is probably going to hire a few people by next year. He said he does some crop farming for feed and buys from local farmers who are “growing barley for us so we can grind and make our own feed.”
A love of farming worked out well for the 23-year-old farmer who said he has had a lifelong love of farming. After all, potato farming is in his lineage on both sides of his family. “In June 2009 I purchased this farm and I always knew I wanted to raise hogs someway. I always set my goals high and finally had the opportunity to do it.”
Lifelong love of farming
His father, Timothy Sides, said when his son was 8 years old, the elder Sides purchased two pigs. “We raised one for ourselves and the other one we sold. By selling one it offset costs and provided meat. Then we decided to get a few more. The first year we named them – Henry and Elmer. That wasn’t good because we got attached to them. After that we decided we wouldn’t be naming them. Eventually, we went to four, then six, and we went to a dozen and that’s how he got started.”
But, farming more than schooling was on the young man’s agenda. His father told him “if you’re going into business, you have to go to school. It was a challenge for him because all he wanted to do was farming. His parents, grandparents and the community encouraged him. And, when he went to college he excelled.”
Joanie Sides, Sam’s mother, recalled that “he was the first one in his class to be accepted at a college and he was on the dean’s list every semester.” She said local farmer, John Qualey, convinced him to stay in school and has always been a positive influence in Sam’s life since Sam thinks highly of him.”
“I’m happy to see a young fellow go into farming in this area. We need young blood here in town. Sam is like one of my own. He went to Iowa Lakes Community College with my son. Sam followed his dream and he got a lot of support from the community. He pulled it off. He takes great advice and reacts to it,” said Qualey. Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
FEEDING TIME — Sam Sides feeds some of his younger pigs who eagerly consume the natural grain feed. Sides said he does not use food scraps because of quality. “People want good meat so we use grain.”
Sides is on the brink of real success with his education and first-hand knowledge of pig farming in the Midwest. His mother said he even turned down high-paying management jobs to come back home and start his own business. Sides is an Eagle Scout and on the board of directors of the Maine Pork Producers Association. After a few phone calls to Hannaford, Sides said he sent a letter “like I was applying for a job with my resume, what I had done and what my experience was and what I wanted to do.”
“I realized a lot of people in this area wanted natural products and wanted to know where their food was coming from. It took two weeks to get a meeting. And, they wanted to do it as soon as they could,” said Sides who will be expanding by adding another building. He really impressed the people at Hannaford with his presentation. Harriman said, “Sam is knowledgeable and demonstrates the skills needed for development of a sound business plan.” As far as growth of the business goes, Harriman added that Hannaford “will work with him as he develops ample supply.”
Joanie Sides said “he has always had the drive. I just knew he would get what he wanted. I remember a couple of years ago, he said he wanted to buy that farm and he has managed to do it.” Tim Sides added that “with the economy the way it is, it’s a big undertaking for a young person to take on. I give him a lot of respect and he is respected in this community. People are anxious for naturally grown pork. He’s going statewide. And, we need to buy locally to help our economy.”