Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
NEW OWNERS — The Cranes, from left, Ian, Nick and their father, Mark, are the new owners of Aroostook Milling Company. The Cranes are looking forward to continuing to meet customers’ needs.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Familiar faces around the mill yard have taken new ownership of Aroostook Milling Company.
Mark Crane and his sons, Ian and Nick, are the new owners and officially took over the company from Mike and Stephanie Harris on July 9. The couple had run the operation for five years after taking the reins from Doug and Ann Callnan.
The transition of ownership was seamless, as Mark has worked with the company for three years and Ian for two years. Nick just joined his father and brother in April after working for S.W. Collins.
Working together is not new to the Cranes, who operated a dairy farm in east Hodgdon until 2011.
“I have been in agriculture all of my life,” said Mark. “We have always had the family together even on the farm. We like having a family business and this has always been a family business. I like working with the boys.”
“It gets you back to the farming roots,” added Ian. “You get to talk to all the farmers and it almost feels like you are farming again. You still have all the seasons like the farm and you get to interact with the people who you enjoy being around.”
Mark is the mill manager, while Ian is salesman and manager of the Stove Shop and Nick will handle the retail store.
The Cranes have been offering deals on their Facebook page, which has received solid support.
“We will have specials on our Facebook page,” said Nick. “We are also in the process of redoing our website.”
There has been little change in the store, except for painting and purging, and overall everything will be staying much the same.
“We are weeding some products out and making way for new products in the store,” Nick explained. “We will try some items by trial and error to see what is working.”
His father added, “We have been thinking for quite awhile on what to bring in. So, if anyone has any ideas, we would like to hear them.”
Another change at the mill since the Cranes took over is feed prices.
“Our Blue Seal feed prices have come down,” said Ian.
“We want to put out a good product and keep prices down,” explained his father.
“And, still be competitive,” Ian added.
The Cranes are currently in the process of redoing their feed formulas for quality assurance.
“Our feed is going to be tested periodically to make sure they are meeting the requirements that they are supposed to be,” said Ian. “Customer service is important to us.”
Aroostook Milling will continue to offer Blue Seal and AMC feeds, along with its wood pellets, coal, grass seed, solar salt for water softeners and all salt products for wintertime such as driveway salt and salt sand. In the springtime, they will also open their greenhouse.
Aroostook Milling delivers from as far north as Fort Kent to as far south as Kittery and the occasional crossover into New Hampshire.
The grain and retail store is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Starting in August, they will close at 1 p.m. on Saturdays. For information on products, call 532- 6130.
The Cranes are also going to have various representatives present seminars to the public throughout the year. The first clinic will be on Aug. 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Kevin Crane on Natural Horsemanship. The event is free to the public. Anyone wanting to bring their horse, call Aroostook Milling Company and talk to one of the Cranes for fees.
“We want people with questions on any of our products to ask us,” said Nick. “We do not have all the answers, but we do have the resources.”
“We are not nutritionalists, but we do have a background in it,” added Mark. “But, we rely on other resources.”
The Cranes are ready to help meet any potential customer’s needs and are open to feedback on how to better serve the agricultural community.
“We are hoping the public keeps on supporting us,” said Mark.
