History: Spencer Farm Supply

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Bruesewitz, Redwood, Brodish, Trindal, Shupe, Luepke, Krause, Beyreis, Nemec, Melander

----Source: Spencer Centennial Book, 1874 – 1974 (Spencer, Marathon County, Wis.) page 82

The Spencer Farm Supply, located on South Pacific, was incorporated in September 1962 by Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Bruesewitz as a family corporation. They purchased the O. W. Trindal Co. feed elevator which was built by O. W. Trindal of Loyal and had opened for business in November of 1928. The first manager, Jim Redwood, was followed by Glen Shupe who retired in 1960 after having served 31 years (1929 to 1960). Edgar Brodish then served as manager until Mr. Trindal disposed of the business.

Originally the feed mill ground the farmers’ grain, put it back in sacks and sold sacked bran-oil meal which the farmer took home himself. Eventually, a feed mixer was added and the building expanded to the south adjacent to the mill. Times have greatly changed in the feed business. Very little business is now done in sacked material, mostly bulk delivery to and from the farm.

After Spencer Farm Supply came into existence, a large 5 ½ ton mixer and a 2 ½ ton feed mixer were installed. Bulk holding bins for direct loading into trucks were added. In 1973 storage bins to hold another 250 ton of bulk feed were added with more floor space being added to the north end of the building. The company now has two pick-up trucks for farm pick up and delivery. They service an area within a radius of 15 miles of Spencer.

The Spencer Farm Supply features Wayne and Doughboy concentrates, Teweles farm seeds, and Royster bagged fertilizer, plus some miscellaneous farm tools and medicines. They are members of the Independent Feed Dealers Ass’n. of Fall River and the Central Wisconsin Feed Dealers Association.

Officers of the corporation are Arnold Bruesewitz, president and treasurer, Walter Bruesewitz, vice president, Isabelle Bruesewitz, secretary. Arnold Bruesewitz manages the business, and the employees are Emil Luepke, Donald Krause, Verlyn Beyreis, Terry Beyreis, Karl Nemec, and Donald Melander.