Brendan Hergott

Brendan Hergott arrived on this earth July 30, 1942, the third oldest from a family with 5 sisters and 3 younger brothers. On most farms during that era, there was no power or running water, so Brendan learned responsibility at a very young age: carrying in wood and carrying out ashes, hauling in drinking water with pails, feeding hogs and cattle, gathering eggs and fighting daily with the Leghorn roosters. He started driving horses to school at the age of 8, and though he did very well, missed a lot of school helping out on the farm.

 

Brendan’s work experience prior to poultry is vast. At age 12, Brendan started his first off-farm job unloading coal, 40 ton at a time, at the brick plant located a half-mile from home, where he eventually started as a full time labourer. He gained construction experience at the Radar Base in Dana and the new Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert. In 1963, Brendan bought his first piece of land which happened to be where the brick factory was located! He worked for Federated Co-op for five years as a driver/salesman, and then as the bulk fuel manager, and helped with construction at the Colonsay Potash Mine. In 1966, Brendan married Yvonne – the best move of his life! And in 1969, they moved to the farm near Bruno, SK.

 

Aside from work, Brendan had an interest in sports, playing senior hockey for 15 years and coaching for 25 years at the Bantam, Midget and high school levels.

 

Brendan began his career in the poultry industry in the mid-1970's, when he started selling feed for the Hillcrest Farm’s feed mill. A decade later, he started working at the Hillcrest Turkey Hatchery.  In 1990, he became the hatchery’s Sales and Service Manager, servicing the western provinces, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. When the Hillcrest Turkey Hatchery closed at the end of 1999, Brendan worked for Charison’s Turkey Hatchery before joining Lilydale in the fall of 2000 as a field service representative.

 

Brendan enjoyed all his work experience in the poultry industry and was able to see the picture from both sides of the fence: the companies’ and farmers’ perspectives. His ability to communicate with producers and the caring he put into his work endeared him to every one of them, and he was treated more like family. He dabbled in retirement for the first time in 2009, and after four more attempts, officially retired in 2013. He and Yvonne now live in Saskatoon. 

 

“I have many great memories and friendships which I will forever cherish.”