Louis Treppel

Louis Treppel was born in Pinquau, Austria (near Vienna) in 1911. He immigrated to Canada in 1930 at the urging of his grandmother who had live in New York. He worked on farms in the Disley-Regina Beach-Lumsden area for ten years, rising early, working late and hard. It was here he met Barbara McEwen and they were married in 1940.

They moved to Pense where he worked as a mechanic for the International dealer. In 1940, while working on machinery at the Andrew MacBeth farm, just west of Regina, he found they needed a farm manager. He was hired and they found their life work and a place to raise a family.

The Regina Sunshine Poultry Farm had a large flock of 1000 layers, raised their replacement pullets, had a dairy and several sections of land. The poultry flock was increased to 1600 layers in 1941 and advertised “Sunshine Eggs” grade A1 with three deliveries a week direct to consumers. Upon the death of Mr. MacBeth in 1951, they purchased the home quarter from the estate. With the two children, Allan and Linda, beginning to be useful, egg production and marketing was now the family business.

Quality and service have been their bywords. Their name was on every carton, on the delivery can and a member of the family made the deliveries. They insisted on the stores keeping the eggs refrigerated. They bought half their replacement chicks every six months so that they had all sizes of eggs. In 1964 they put in one of the first cage units so as to increase both the quantity and quality of their eggs. They were a registered egg station and purchased eggs from other flocks who met their standards. They qualified for and promoted the “Saskatchewan Seal of Quality” program which recognized egg flocks managed in a superior manner. Barbara worked along side her husband at all times. She was secretary-treasurer of the Egg Producers Free Marketing Association in 1958 and spent considerable effort speaking out on their behalf. She also served on the Saskatchewan Poultry Association and the Poultry Council. Her untimely passing in 1968 deprived the industry of her continuing efforts.

While John and Linda Boxall now manage the operations, a retired Louis Treppel still makes sure things are up to standard. True, he only works a six day, sixty hour week and occasionally takes a holiday but you can be assured that he keeps a sharp eye out that quality is always in those cartons of eggs bearing the name “Sunshine Eggs”.

March 1988