Steads sell a variety of supplies for fencing, animal feed, liquid supplements and silage sheets. Stead said agriculture has changed over the years, and the business has changed with it. He said many farmers have moved out of cattle, and so they have had to add different products. On the other side, they have enlarged their area they serve.
“If you stay still, you go backward.”
Among the changes has been the growth in the pet side of their business. As well, they added a line of organic products for both animals and people, which has really taken off. Stead said they sell these products over the border and across Canada. Most recently, they added a greenhouse in 2020, which has done really well, and went year-round last fall.
One area that has seen recent development has been the sale of feathered livestock. Starting last year, Steads saw a growth in people wanting ducklings, baby turkeys and chicks. Stead said they have sold more than 5,000 chicks so far this spring. He is not completely sure what caused this, but suspects the start of the COVID pandemic inspired people to start raising a few of their own birds.
“I think so,” he stated, adding more people gardening increased seed sales. “I think last year had a lot to do with it. The kids really enjoyed that.”
An important part of Steads has always been the involvement of family. As well as David and Diane, their daughter Ann Stokes has been a part of the business from the beginning. Another daughter, Hazel Stead-Thorne, runs the greenhouse. Grandson Matthew Stokes is one of the students who works after school. Stead says it will be interesting to see what happens with it in the future, as he will not be working forever and the business will have to move forward.
New COVID regulations impact Steads like everyone else, more so in the greenhouse. This time at least they have not had to mark off “non-essential” items.
“You have to be careful, but we are doing what we can.”

by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff