what type of commodities would a feed mill in a cow town recieve/ship? thanks for the help guys.
Dave
For openers, they would be getting all kinds of grains (Wheat, Oats, Barley, etc.) in Covered Hoppers, or in freight cars (depending on the era), and tank cars of molasses. They would receive boxcars that contain other items that they would sell along with feed (Cattle halters, medicines, pails, etc.) Depending on the business, they might be sending out cars with mixed feed in them to other locations as well.
Depending on how large the feed mill is, along with the feed and seed grains Ray mentioned, in central Wisconsin they get boxcars of baler twine, bags of barn lime. salt blocks, bags of fertizer and certified seed, metal fense posts, along with electric and barbed fence wire. If the feed milll also has commerical accounts like cheese factories or bakerys, they seel a large amount of loose salt to cheese factories and baking flour to bakerys.
They might also sell ground agricultural lime to spread on farmers fields. This is usually shipped in open gondolas or covered hoppers. They could sell granular fertilzers such as potash or phospate also for spreading on fields, similar to the weed and field you spread on your lawn eveery spring. This comes in centerflow or 54’ covered hoppers. They will mix the blend you want for your particular application. They also migh sell liquid fertizler such as anhydrous ammonia which would come in tank cars. And some large Co-op feed mills even sell propane along with motor fuel and oil.