Spring is in the Air at CHS Farm and Feed Store, Chatfield

Greg Leth, Feed Manager pictured in Chatfield Store.

Nothing is better than stepping inside a feed store and catching that whiff of strong earthy smells that conjure up memories of rural living.

The unassuming one-story white building with the loading dock door wide open between Dairy Queen and Cabin Coffee is CHS Farm and Feed store. CHS is conveniently open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and 8 am -12 noon on Saturday.

A mind-boggling number of farm and feed items fills the store’s two thousand square feet of indoor retail space.

“It is that time of the year when people are thinking of spring,” explains Greg Leth, CHS Feed Manager.

After only a few months at CHS Chatfield, Leth is knowledgeable about every product that is in the store’s inventory.

CHS employee, Chatfield resident Mark Apenhorst has worked at CHS Chatfield for the past seven years and welcomes customers by first name.

“We take pride in providing useful information, so our customers can succeed. We are here to support our customers,” shared Leth.

It is safe to say that mosquitos have created unforgettable memories for all of us. The Spartan Mosquito Eradicator, a do-it-yourself mosquito control gadget is a much-needed tool in Minnesota, home to 51 types of mosquitoes.

Aisles by aisles there are shelves lined with gopher traps and bait, tank de-ice, fencing supplies, milk replacer for baby goats and lambs and milk replacer for cattle, nipples, bags of dog and cat food, birdseed, bird feeders, Cenex lubricants, boots, and gloves.

Customers can find a full line of NutriSource and Tuffy’s pet food brand for cats and dogs. NutriSource and Tuffy’s brands are manufactured in Perham, Minnesota. The Minnesota company has been producing healthy pet foods since 1964.

Fans of wild birds will find shelves of bird food including peanuts in shells and unshelled and a selection of bird feeders to care for the wild birds that call their home, home. Squirrels are also taken care of at CHS with small bags of corn on the cob.

Mice problems? CHS can help. The store sells necessary mice and rat bait.

Customers will also find a selection of hand tools – snow shovel, pitchforks, shovels, and a large selection of gloves and overshoes. Eye-catching bags of colorful ear tags occupy a section of one wall.

Baby chicks are not kept at feed stores as they were in the past, but baby chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, Guinea, peacocks, partridges, both layers, and fryers, can be ordered. According to a Facebook post the 2021 hatchery catalogs arrived in February, and most orders begin in March. Leth mentions that “Feeders and waterers are also available to get your birds off to a good start.” Fowl need proper nutrition and CHS offers and array of excellent feed choices for all poultry species and stages of life.

The store carries a complete inventory of CHS Cenex lubricants. A Facebook post encourages CHS followers to “Stop in get what you need to prepare your equipment for spring!”

For your lawn needs. Grass seed, fertilizer, turf seed, and weed and insect control are always in stock.

Heading to the building’s unheated section were bags of softening salt and ice melt, with Leth pointing out that they are competitively priced. Continuing the tour, Leth pointed out the bags of feed for horses, beef, and chicken feed, as well as lick tubs for horses and cattle. Wood shavings for bedding are available at the store.

Standing next to the dock, Leth emphasized that at CHS as compared to large farm stores, customers can pull right up to the loading dock, and CHS staff will load their order into their car or truck.

Leth pointed out that “It is important for the community to know that we fill LP tanks for bar-b-que grills.”

CHS supports community organizations – local and national FFA efforts, 4-H, County Fairs. Seeds for Stewardship the company’s foundation.

“In the end, it is our goal to provide that something extra, to help our customers’ outdoor experience be a little more enjoyable and their projects more successful,” shared Leth.

Written by Charlene Corson Selbee for FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL

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