The Past

Businesses
 ~ Bakeries
 ~ Banks
 ~ Blacksmiths
 ~ Drug store
 ~ Gerlib's Store
 ~ Hardware Stores
 ~ Hotels
 ~ Sure Crop Feed
 ~ ~ Interview with David Couch
 ~ Undertaking
Churches
Communities
Community Services
Entertainment
Ethnic Groups
Geography
Heritage Homes
Industries
Organizations
People
Schools
Transportation

Museum page

Sure Crop Feeds was established in 1957. The main purpose behind the founding of this company was to provide the North Okanagan farmers with grain, and other farming needs.

The founders included Arthur Couch and his two sons, Dwaine and David. The Couches came from the state of Nebraska where they had two other stores, Couch Seeds and Sure Crop Chemicals. From Sure Crop Chemicals came the name Sure Crop Feeds. The insignia--an "S" surrounded by a "C"-- was made up by a company in Vernon, B.C. "Feed's our game, quality our aim".

In 1957, the first structure went up. The building was shaped like a barn. Inside was the office (southwest corner), hammermill, rollermill, mixer, and several bins. All bags and bulk grain were stored here. There was no concrete, and truckers coming in for grain would sometimes get stuck (the floor being very damp). The barn is still there and still being used, although its original color of green has been changed to blue.

In 1962, a weighscale, warehouse, and office were built. The new office held hardware supplies such as hammers, anvils, and wrenches. Animal supplies were also kept there. Medicines for cows, horses, pigs, chickens, and other animals were provided for farmers with sick animals. The warehouse was used for storing alfalfa and grass seeds. The weighscale was used for weighing trucks.

Before Sure Crop was built there was an old pole yard. After the pole yard the Kuntzes, a Grindrod family, had a small grain field. The total area of Sure Crop covers two acres. Sure Crop receives its veterinarian supplies from Vancouver and Alberta. Custom work was all that was done at first; this means the grinding of local farmers grain. Grain was eventually brought in from the Kootenays and the prairies when the local farmers could not grow enough to supply their needs.

In 1967, the mill that we see today was built, This mill uses hydro power. In 1969, the warehouse was built. This stores all the feed produced by Sure Crop. Mineral, salt, and dogfood are also kept here. Also in 1969, a 70-foot truck platform scale was built to weigh the trucks with feed as they were being loaded.

The new office was built in 1982. Because the office work was expanding, the new office was needed. When the C.P.R. railroad went on a slowdown strike, supplies were not getting into Sure Crop. For this reason Sure Crop bought two trucking companies, D.M.R. Transport Ltd., and Westrim Express Ltd. Sure Crop also bought into Macleods, a meat scrap and fat factory. These scraps and fat materials are used in the making of poultry and hog feeds.

The Couches sold Sure Crop Feeds Ltd. in 1986 to three people. They later sold it to Richie Smith, the owner of Richie Smith's Feeds Ltd. (a feed company at the coast). The latter is the present owner of Sure Crop.

Over the past 33 years, Sure Crop Feeds expanded in several places. From one truck, nicknamed "The Greygoose" for its constant dirtiness, and a barn-like structure, Sure Crop grew into an important company. Sure Crop now provides grain and accessories for farmers all over B.C.'s interior.

Tundra Costley, David Couch
ALF School 1989