Bridport supplier is major partner in Vermont agribusiness

After 30 years, Richard Huestis, the owner and manager of Heustis Farm Supply still enjoys running the business founded by his parents, Daniel and Eleanor Huestis. The business began in 1970, selling and servicing Winpower PTO alternators and UBO cow and parlor mats, and has since grown into a full service True Value hardware store, but still maintains an emphasis on selling and servicing agricultural equipment for area farmers. Richard Huestis was living in Tokyo, Japan, in 1981 when his father asked him to return to Vermont and help run the business. Richard had been working in a joint food venture business that dealt in food ingredients and spices, but when his father said he really needed help with paperwork, he and his wife Shizu decided to try it out for two years and then make a final decision. At the time, they had one 2½-year-old daughter, with a second child on the way, so they headed back to the USA to see what would develop. Huestis says that 30 years later. he is still enjoying running the company as the business continues to grow and change. Recently, when a longtime loyal employee retired, Huestis replaced him with a young man named Nick Madison, the son of a local farmer and graduate of Hannaford Career Center. Madison tends to sales and advertising, and has brought new ideas and new energy to the business. He is currently in the process of buying into the business and eventually becoming a partner. "I'm happy I finally found a young fellow who's interested," said Huestis, noting that he has three daughters with husbands and careers of their own, who are not interested in running the family business. It was Madison's idea to hold a demonstration day to showcase the AerWay Aerator, a machine that opens up the ground and allows nutrients, air and water to penetrate the soil. Huestis said they hadn't had an open house in decades, and he was thrilled when 150 people turned out to check out the store and the equipment. "We went through 8 dozen burgers, as many hot dogs, salads and lots of sodas," he said. Huestis still retains his ties with Japan through the Japan-American Society of Vermont that he and a couple of fellow UVM grads founded 30 years ago. His first encounter with Japan was at Okinawa, via Pakistan while he was in the U.S. Air Force. His affinity for the culture led him back to Taiwan after graduating from UVM, where he met his wife Shizu, who was in was also studying the Japanese language. But he seems to have no regrets about returning to Bridport and running Huestis Farm Supply. "It's all about trying to make a living and not going to bed hungry," he said. "We try to help farmers and farmers try to help us – it's a partnership."

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Bridport supplier is major partner in Vermont agribusiness

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