Feed Biz

    Thursday and Friday are our regular delivery days for the feed business. 75% or more of the regular delivery customers are Amish with a buggy horse or 2 so 100# or so of feed every 2 weeks. Each of our 2 routes only covers 15 mile radius ea week but its a niche my husband S developed 30 years ago. They dont have to hitch up buggy or hire driver to come get feed. They have a set amount he delivers unless they call to change or add feed. He also sells them hay mostly from fields directly in the summer. He buys from same hay farmers ea year so we can expect quality. His truck carries 10,000# each trip and he sets ea route up in circle to minimize fuel usage.
   We deliver to other areas like livestock sale barn he auctioneers hay at on Wed nights mostly non-Amish customers and when he goes to pick up feed we order, he delivers to whoever is on the way. Otherwise we have a feed store here in our barn that I man when S is gone. Alot of our sales are 100# bags so don't mess with me I got muscles! Most customers in the store are non-Amish as well.
   We store our feed which we send a tractor trailer to PA at 4 diff mills  every 2 weeks for and what S goes for downstate in trailers and front part of barn. Our store is built over the old solo base and has variety of things available as well as feed. Today we loaded S's truck for deliveries. It usually takes an hour with both of us working at it unless customers driving in interrupts us which is good thing as well. 
   1st picture is his truck as we begin loading in order of his delivery tickets so he can peel off his bag as he gets to their barns. That cart he using holds 1000# easily which with the way it counterbalances its weight I can use without straining. It saves our backs! The upright bags are my responsibility I haul and stack ea 100# bag according to his ticket plan. 
    2nd picture shows 1 of the trailers we store feed in. It's pretty empty right now as our 23 ton load is due Mon night. Come help us unload it by hand ;[ if you're in the area! We use casual seasonal help from Amish teenagers , they like to help at night so they get some spending money. If they work during daytime they have to give it to their parents to help support the family.
   Tonight LN has wrestling match ,she manages team so late supper of steaks, dried corn and sweet tator fries tonight. I love our beef we raised, he's so tender!