It’s surprising when walking into Lael’s Landscape and Stone Supply to find that it is a full line feed store. Located on Reynolds in Centralia, the location has long been known as a great source for landscaping materials like bark, stone, compost, soil and more. But starting seven years ago, Dan Lael purchased the business and he began to diversify. Now they stock a comprehensive line of feed for farm animals and household pets.
“Go big or go home,” says Dan of his business philosophy. “This opportunity came up and it’s just taken off. I feel like we’ve increased the value to our customers of what is here.”
Farm Animal Feed
For the farm, Lael’s primarily carries X-Cel Feed, which has been produced locally in Tacoma, Washington, since 1962.
Dan explains that X-Cel keeps its prices down by maintaining a simple business model, and customers love it because the feed is clean and fresh. “We get new shipments in every week,” explains Dan.
Dan stocks all the best sellers. Most of the feed that he carries has been added to the lineup through customer requests. He tries to make sure that the products he carries can be offered at a great price. A popular all-purpose feed is the X-Cel Barnyard Buffet, which has a protein ratio that many other brands would call an all stock.
One of the great things about X-Cel is that they are receptive to making custom feed. If there is a particular ratio that you want made up in quantity, they can make it. That is how Shirley Sheep Mix became part of the X-Cel Feed line-up. Fowl Power is another mix that was suggested by a customer. It contains a standard chicken ratio mixed with scratch treats.
Walking through the feed room, you can quickly find a variety of feeds specifically for horses young and old as well as wet COB (corn, oats and barley with molasses) and dry COB (without molasses). Beet pulp pellets are good for horses that need to put on some weight as are alfalfa pellets. Orchard grass and timothy pellets are in stock, in addition to local grass hay bales and compressed 60 pound alfalfa bales.
But Lael’s doesn’t just do horse feed – they carry a variety of livestock feeds: Barnyard Buffet, Goat Pellets, Hog Grower at 14% and 16% Protein, Dairy feed, Shirley’s Sheep, and Rabbit feeds at 16% and 18%.
In the poultry department, there’s Layer Pellet and Crumble, all Purpose Fowl, Chick Starter medicated and non-medicated, Turkey, Game Bird, Duck & Goose, Fowl Power and Scratch. In addition to X-Cel, Lael’s also carries Dr Don’s Layer Pellet and Crumble, which is a fish based feed for higher Protein at 20%.
If you are looking to mix your own feed, rolled barley, wheat bran, rice bran, whole corn, cracked corn, rolled oats, trace minerals and bulk molasses are all available. Mineral blocks and salts, oyster shells, kitty litter, animal bedding are also in good supply.
“We stock what sells” says Dan Lael, “but we can special order anything.”
Pet Food
Three years ago, a customer came through the door requesting that Lael’s carry Black Gold dog food and cat food. Since then, his dog food business has exploded as they are now the distributer of Black Gold in Washington and Oregon States, receiving and shipping 40 pallets a month.
Black Gold is an all-natural pet food with no preservatives or colors. It’s made in the USA with homegrown ingredients. Black Gold is tested for food safety and has never had a recall. It’s nutrient dense with a wide variety of formulas to chose from.
Dan says that Black Gold has incredible brand loyalty because the food has such a high digestibility rating, with a higher protein and fat content but at a great price.
“They list the digestibility rating on each formula,” says Dan, “and since the digestibility is so high, more of the feed stays in the dog and you’re picking up less in the yard. And because they are getting better nutrition, you can feed them less so your cost goes down.”
And compared to other performance foods, Black Gold just costs less.
But don’t forget Lael’s Landscape and Stone Supply is still your local landscape supplier. And Dan knows a thing or two about the best materials for your yard. Before he ever went into the supply business he was a landscaper himself.
As the season rolls on steadily towards spring, it’s time to think about amending the garden with Lael’s organic compost. It’s also not a bad time to check out the variety of bark-scaping materials available. If you put down your beauty bark now, fewer weeds will come up in the spring.
Lael’s Landscape and Stone Supply is located at 1301 Reynolds Avenue, Centralia, WA. Stop by, give them a call at 360-807-2018 or follow them on Facebook.
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