Risk & Business Magazine F.A. Peabody Insurance Fall 2015 | Page 8

Houlton Farms Dairy
Small but Awful, Awful Mighty!

BY: CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON CPCU, CIC, WCP, PRESIDENT, FA PEABODY INSURANCE

Eric Lincoln, Mary Lincoln, Jim Lincoln

I

n the days of buyouts and takeovers,
Houlton Farms Dairy has remained
locally owned and operated for over 77
years. The business was started in 1938
by Alan Clark, who originally delivered
milk to homes, schools and businesses
throughout Aroostook County, Maine.
It was the first pasteurizing plant north
of Bangor. As years went by, the dairy
switched hands and continued changing
with the times. Milk went from being
stored in glass bottles to plastic jugs and
cardboard containers. Delivery went
from many trucks going to countless
homes to a few going to grocery stores.
Today, HFD is owned and operated by
the Lincoln family — Alice, her husband
Leonard, their two sons Jim and Eric,

and Jim’s wife, Mary. Alice
Lincoln started working at
the dairy more than 45 years
ago and her children and
grandchildren have followed
in her footsteps, along with
about 50 other seasonal and
year-round employees. Mary
Lincoln manages the dairy
bars while Eric and Jim drive
trucks and are in charge of
quality control. Houlton
Farms Dairy has grown to be
a mid-scale milk