OLD ORCHARD BEACH – Butter making has been part of Luke Patry’s life as long as he remembers.
“We used to sit in front of the TV and make (butter) boxes,” said Patry, 29, last week. “We have pictures of me in a car seat on top of the tanks.”
Additional Photos
Patry is the son of Daniel and Karen Patry, founders of Kate’s Homemade Butter.
Since 1981, the couple has made butter in the basement and garage of the Old Orchard Beach home where Luke and his two brothers were raised.
Today, Daniel and Luke manage a company that has expanded throughout the Northeast and to some major cities beyond.
Daniel Patry grew up in Minot and attended Edward Little High School in Auburn. When he was young, he worked at his uncle Roland’s dairy farm.
Daniel later studied economics and accounting at the University of Southern Maine, thinking he would become an accountant.
But after spending eight grueling hours tackling an accounting problem, Daniel knew he wanted a new path.
He went to work as a salesperson at Portland’s Oakhurst Dairy, and in the early 1980s purchased a wooden butter churn Oakhurst acquired after buying Cole Farm dairy.
Daniel set up the churn in his basement. His wife initially made most of the butter. A few years later, he left Oakhurst and opened Patry Family Realty in Old Orchard Beach.
He still owns that business, but spends most of his time making butter.
Dan and Karen have three sons: Luke, Dan, 38, who manages the real estate company, and Chris, 34, a mechanical engineer in Waterboro.
Luke joined Kate’s a few years ago, shortly after returning from Austria, where he spent two years working at an Alpine dairy and learning cheese making.
Luke, who also graduated with degrees in science and German from the University of Maine at Orono, has a hand in nearly every aspect of the business, from research and development to operating the butter making and packaging equipment. He even drives Kate’s delivery trucks.
Luke said working with his dad can be challenging. “It’s difficult because the boss is always here,” he said.
But Luke said his father has lots of knowledge to impart. And he said that to work at Kate’s you have to be open to learning from the boss.
“You can’t be stubborn. You might have an idea, but (Dan) knows the right way,” Luke said.
In the next few months, Luke will move to a new home in Arundel, on the same plot of land where Kate’s is building a new production site.
The extra space will give Luke a chance to experiment with making new dairy products, like cheese.
Luke will work for the foreseeable future alongside his father, who said he has no intention of leaving the business.
“I am never going to retire. I like the physical labor and I like the business,” said Daniel.
Jonathan Hemmerdinger can be reached at 791-6316 or:
jhemmerdinger@mainetoday.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
