HERRING BROTHERS
Text by: Deven Martin, Kyla Desmarais, Sam Thomas
Eighth Grade Students of Piscataquis Community Middle School
Images from the Guilford Historical Society
Herring Brothers is very well known. It is still in business today. They perform well in retail meat, federal and custom slaughtering and processing, and in house smoking. It is also the home of the so called “wicked good beef jerky.” At this time Thomas and Andrea Gilbert and their children Trey Gilbert and Ellie Patterson own Herring Brothers Meats.
Herring Brothers was established in 1928 by Charles Herring. It was called C. H. Herring Custom Meats. The building was located on Route 15 in Guilford, right where you would find Herring Brothers Slaughterhouse today. Charles and his father Levi Herring used to have cattle come into Guilford on railcars. In 1946 the Herring Brothers Slaughterhouse was expanded into Herring Brothers Meats by Lorin and Mac Herring. They had multiple fields full of cattle, pigs, and lambs. Most of their cattle came from the Pennsylvania stockyards into Dover and were trucked up to the Slaughterhouse. They also went to auctions in Exeter and Corinna and local farmers supplied them with beef.
Lorin Herring turned over his half of Herring Brothers to his son Stephen Herring at his retirement. Malcolm turned his half of Herring Brothers over to his daughter and son-in-law, Andrea and Tom Gilbert. Andrea and Tom Gilbert bought out Stephen in 1995 or 1996. They built a store in front of the slaughterhouse.
There are now two buildings that are standing today, the slaughterhouse and the Herring Brothers Store. There used to be an old slaughterhouse up in front of Low’s Covered Bridge. That slaughterhouse was torn down many years ago. The old slaughterhouse used to be the old schoolhouse.
Herring Brothers offers lots of services for slaughtering, processing, and wild game. Beef processing costs 55 cents per pound dressed; federal beef processing costs 70 cents per pound dressed. They charge $50 to kill a cow either way. Pig processing costs 45 cents per pound dressed; federal pigs cost 70 cents per pound dressed; $35 to kill a pig either way. Lamb processing is $55 to $75 to kill; federal lambs $60 to $70 to kill. Red deer processing 85 cents per pound dressed; inspection charge is included to kill. Buffalo/bison processing is 40 cents per pound dressed, $100 to kill. Deer processing is $60 to $130 to kill depending on size. Bear processing is $100 to $200 to kill depending on size. They also do elk processing but that information is not disclosed at this time.
If you would like to know more visit the Guilford Historical Society.
Bibliography
http://www.herringbrothersmeats.com/