Our History
Ernie Gemperle was born in Switzerland and immigrated to the United States in the year 1949. Ernie arrived with $12 in his pocket. Just like the script in the old movie “The Egg and I”, he started a poultry business in Washington state, January 1950, on a leased ranch with 6000 hens. In 1951 he sold his lease and moved to Turlock were he started building a new farm.
At this time Ernie was one of hundreds of farmers who sold his eggs to Poultry Producers of Central California. Ernie had a knack for animal husbandry and great success with his Gemperle eggs.
In November of 1953, Ernie was drafted into the US Army, and he leased his ranch to a local friend, Bob Guthrie. While he was in the Army, serving during the end of the Korean war, he married Annemarie. In February of 1956, he returned from military service and continued operating his poultry business along with his new wife.
Ernie and Annemarie continued to expand their business. They made innovations that helped produce eggs more safely and efficiently. In 1958 they purchased their first bulk feed tank. This eliminated the back breaking job of moving feed sacks and helped protect the feed from rodents. At this time, Gemperle Farms also started to wash eggs with two Aquamagic egg washers. This significantly improved egg safety. In 1961, Ernie’s brother, Walter Gemperle, joined the company and started the Gemperle family orchards division. The family continued a policy of slow deliberate growth to meet local needs.
Ernie was instrumental in working with other local producers in forming marketing coops, a common feed mill and food safety programs such as the California Egg Quality Assurance Program. In the 1990’s Gemperle Family Farms became a leader in our industry by switching barns to cage-free. Since then, Gemperle Family Farms have taken the lead in converting barns to Organic, Cage-free and Omega-3. In May 2021, Gemperle Family Farms became 100% Cage Free.
Gemperle Family Farms is one of the leading producers of organic and cage free eggs in Northern California. The second generation of family members along with a talented team of employees currently lead the organization and the third generation of the Gemperle Family is starting to learn the nuts and bolts of the business.
Ernie, at 19 years old moves to Washington state and leases his first poultry farm with 6000 hens.
Ernie at 19 years old
1951
Ernie moves to Turlock, California and works diligently building his first Gemperle egg farm. All eggs are sold to Poultry Producers of Central California.
Building Turlock Farm
1953-1956
Ernie enters the army and leases out his egg farm. During these four years the farm goes into disarray and he nearly loses everything.
Turlock Farm Hen Houses
Ernie marries Annemarie, a childhood sweetheart in Switzerland and she emigrates to the US. Together they revitalize the farm, open a retail store at the house and continue to expand their farming operations. The family also expands adding seven children to the flock.
Annemarie and Ernie
1990+
Gemperle Family Farms became a leader in the industry by converting barns to organic and cage free. Slow deliberate growth allowed the farm to weather the economy’s turbulence over the decades.
Organic & Cage Free
