We are an independent, local-first supplier of pet & livestock feeds, fertilizer, crop management & animal health products, farm hardware, lawn & garden supplies, electric fencing, beekeeping equipment, locally-produced honey, beeswax, and maple products. **Who We Are and Why We Do It**
This feed store was built for pet owners, organic growers, farmers who care deeply about what goes into their a
nimals and crops, and beekeepers who shouldn't have to drive an hour in either direction just to pick up basic supplies. The possibilities are genuinely endless, and we are committed to competing with the mega-corporations that continue to grow their profits year after year while contributing little to local economies and sheltering even more of that wealth from taxation. Farmers make up the core of our customer base; many are introverts and many are over a certain age. What they share is an appreciation for walking into a small store and having a real conversation with someone who actually understands what they care about. For some, that conversation may be the only one they have that day, and we take that seriously.
**How We Buy**
Every purchasing decision we make is weighed against a set of personal criteria. We prioritize locally-made goods and manufacturing, followed by Ontario-Made, Made-in-Canada, then Made-in-Europe. Where possible, we consolidate freight to reduce the number of shipments, choose slower & cheaper shipping options, and minimize packaging. Fair Trade certification is not yet common in our industry, but we apply similar principles wherever we can. Registered B Corps, ethically-sourced products, handmade goods, and other aligned ideas are actively welcomed. We aim to offer Certified Organic products, including seed packets and layer hen feed, year-round at stable and fair pricing. Keeping input costs predictable for the farmers and market gardeners growing our food nearby is not a footnote for us; it is a priority. Food Security affects us all.
**Shop Local, For Real**
Our goal has always been to give shoppers a genuine opportunity to Shop Local, and to keep the Community's Dollars from draining out of Edwardsburgh-Cardinal into the accounts of corporations that have no real stake in Spencercity or in actual farming. This reduces the carbon footprint of what we sell and keeps money circulating in the local economy. It is intentional and though it is not always the easiest or most profitable path, we do believe it is the right one. Our closest and largest supplier is New-Life Mills in Inkerman, the feed mill behind the majority of what we carry. Certified Organic seed packets come from Gaia Organics near the Ottawa Airport, grown within an hour of our store. Native wildflower seeds come from Northern Wildflowers in Sudbury, all sourced from Ontario. When we need products that New-Life does not carry, we turn to Co-op Embrun, a cooperative that shares our collaborative values. We source the following directly from local producers & farmers: honey, honeybees & queens, beeswax candles, maple products, baled straw & hay, bagged firewood, kindling & cooking wood, chicken treats & mealworms, seed packets, garlic bulbs, and more.
