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| By Kristi
Kellogg Boundary County Farm Bureau Women's Committee Chair |
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| Katie, Avery and Peyton Cushman, proprietors and operators of the Cushman Egg Company and Cushman Hatchery. |
The Boundary County Farm Bureau is proud to showcase three young business women this week. Katie, Peyton, and Avery Cushman make up Cushman Egg Company and Cushman Hatchery.
“When we first thought of having our own business, we already had chickens that were easy to take care of, so we thought we would get more and sell the eggs,” the young ladies said in unison.
So the girls took over all the chores associated with the chickens right down to mixing their own feed. That first business soon expanded to include hatching their eggs and selling the chicks when Avery, age 7, received an incubator for Christmas.
They researched all about how to hatch eggs, from maintaining proper temperature and humidity to turning the eggs, which they take turns doing five times a day. The eggs are cleaned and sterilized before being placed in the incubator.
At certain times they candle the eggs and remove the unviable ones. Cushman Hatchery has now expanded to include four incubators.
Along with the work it takes to care for their flock, the girls have to conduct their business just like everyone else does.
Avery, as chairman, is usually in charge of promotions. She makes calls to local stores, like Moose Valley Farms and Carter Country Farm & Feed, to arrange for the chicks to be purchased. Peyton, age 10, and the treasurer, showed off her books, with all of the expenses and profits recorded.
There was even a board with the agenda from their last board meeting!
The trio touched on so many experiences, from their 4-H Vet Science group studying different stages of deformed chicks to weather related issues with eggs to sexing the new chicks.
When asked what she has learned, the secretary Katie, age 11, said “lazy now is harder later,” a saying of her dad’s that she has found to be true.
It was amazing to see how much dedication these girls have to their business. They will be strong advocates for farming now and in the future!