Who shops at Orsheln's Farm and Home?

[donsgal]

What do you think about this store? I priced some STRAW (not hay), and they wanted $4.50 a bale. Isn't that kind of high?

donsgal

[WolfWalksSoftly]

I like Orsheln's a lot, but like TSC better. Yes, that is a high price, maybe check some feed store prices.

[Cat]

I shop there for some items...mainly my BOSS. Straw here out in western KS where there is wheat-a-plenty they've been asking $3 a bale for it for small squares.

They are higher priced on quite a few things and you have to watch as some of the bags of feed they sell are actually 40 lb'ers as opposed to 50 lbs.

[Janis Sauncy]

I pay $6.00-$7.00 a bale for straw. I'm guessing the bales are 45-50 pounds; they're big bales but straw is light. And that IS buying from feed stores.

I'd be thrilled to pay $4.50 a bale.

Janis

[mdharris68]

One thing to remember, it's generally cheaper to buy anything from the source. Orchelns just adds thier markup to a bale of hay, just like they do with everything in thier store.

[Janis Sauncy]

Where I used to live, I bought directly from the farmer, who also sold to the local feed stores, who, in turn, marked it up.

I haven't found a farmer around here who grows oats, although I know the feed store I go to the most does buy from a local farmer. I've thought about asking him who it is, but I'm afraid that might seem rude.

Janis

[mwhit]

Originally Posted by donsgal

What do you think about this store? I priced some STRAW (not hay), and they wanted $4.50 a bale. Isn't that kind of high?

donsgal

Seems high to me, but I still pay $1 per bale for good green hay. I've never seen a farm supply or feed store that sells hay...

Michelle

[Terre d'Esprit]

Orscheln's is definitely high around here, but I don't know that the price is bad for a bale of straw. My feed guy sold me some straw last week for $5.00 a bale. I needed some one day and was not in my own neck of the woods, and paid $6.00 a bale.

Like the others said, it depends on where you live.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I like Orsheln, and sometimes you can find them where there is no TSC. They also carry some products that I can't get elsewhere. The folks are nice, too.

[big rockpile]

We got Straw at MFA,I'm thinking it was cheaper.

I do enjoy Orsheln's for clothes because I come closer to finding my size.Not easy finding 4X shirts I enjoy looking at some of the other stuff they have.

big rockpile

[tickranch]

Just another box chain that over charges for their cheap junk.

$4, that's about what it's going for around here, retail.

[Scrounger]

Orscheln's is just TSC with a different sign out front. They carry a lot of the same stuff and usually are SLIGHTLY cheaper. The bad thing is, the Orscheln stores in smaller markets have less items then a TSC, but TSC won't go to the smaller markets. Our Orscheln store doesn't even SELL straw. Most of these types of stores carry a lot of stuff that is geared to "yuppie" farmers and suburbanites. It's the same thing as the bundles of firewood in front of the convienience stores for $5. They know they aren't gonna sell a truckload to a farmer at that price, but one or two bundles to a suburbanite for a "romanic evening" is gonna happen. I did see straw at Menard's in Lincoln the other day for $6 a bale. I get mine for free, but the man I get it from sells it for $2.50 a bale.

[Windy in Kansas]

I find that both Orscheln and Tractor Supply Company carry many of the same products from the same manufacturers and even display them in the same boxes. Foreign made stuff that lacks quality at that.

I, too, prefer shopping at TSC. The staff acts a lot more like professionals and knows where things are in the store while those at my local Orscheln Store barely know where they are let alone any merchandise within the store. That is my observation anyway.

As to straw bales---why not ask around before wheat harvest and find out which farmers bale up some of their straw. Go to them and ask to buy a pickup load right out of the field on the day they are baled so that the farmer doesn't even have to touch them. Assuming of course that you can safely drive into the field without catching it on fire with your truck. You should be able to greatly cut the cost per bale by using this method. If this doesn't work for you then be willing to pay extra for convenience. Those same farmers might be willing for you to come to the farm several times each year and sell direct.

Thought about seeing if anyone sells stray at the local livestock sale barn? Our local one always sells hay, alfalfa and such every Tuesday. Ask those selling other products if they have any straw for sale or would put up some at the following harvest.

[NWMO]

Love that they have some variety....and pretty good sales from time to time. Also can find some great clearance deals and closeouts.....bought lots of lawn seed from the back room.....manager said "make and offer"....and bought 15 big bags for 5.00 a bag. During the season, they wanted 79.00 a bag. And I have a great looking stand of grass on my acreage.

Love their moonlight madness nights.....seems like they have "big" clearance sales about once a quarter. Also like their rewards program. Nice to get a "check" for a percentage of the merchandise purchased.

[big rockpile]

Windy in Kansas kind of hard buying it in the field when no one around here raises Small Grain.

big rockpile

[suzyhomemaker09]

The local MFA here has straw for $5 a bale so $4.50 is not so high. The feeds there
( just like someone else mentioned ) are sometimes in a 40 lb bag as opposed to a 50.
I get my pet foods there, dog and cat and make use of the rewards program. They do have nice close out sales..I remember getting a 5 lb bag of popcorn for 99 cents or something and huge bags of individual packages of pretzels and cheese puffs for $1. each, they were originally $4.+ each.

[sunflower-n-ks]

Straw is $3 a bale at the local feed store. So far, that is the only place I have seen it for sale. I would love to find some elsewhere as that feed store does not take good care of their products and it is frustrating to get second rate stuff. I can get hay from farmers for $3 a small bale.

[Cheribelle]

I like orchelin's OK, there is no TSC around here. There is a family owned farm store in another town that I also like. Farm King in another town, I hate.

[Windy in Kansas]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Windy in Kansas kind of hard buying it in the field when no one around here raises Small Grain.

big rockpile

That would indeed make it kind of difficult wouldn't it? In that case there would be the cost of the bale and transportation costs tacked on to bring it into the area. With fuel as it is that would add quite a bit to the cost.

Maybe you should get a hold of a vehicle hauling trailer and bring in a load of straw from another part of the state where they do grow crops. Might be some pretty fair money in it. I guess it would depend upon just how long of a haul it would take.

[Mutti]

No TSC here...I always go to Orschleins for my bird suet...79cents a pkg...beat that, Walmart! But alot of the stuff is way overpriced and we have farm stores in all the towns around us...and a local hardware that will get us anything we want in a day or two.Frequently cheaper to order horse stuff from Jeffers even with the shipping. DEE