Location: Viola, Ark.
Owners: Joe and Chelsea Garner
History: When a local feed store sold out, Joe and Chelsea Garner decided it was an opportunity to start their own.
“I worked in the feed business for various people, and when we got to Viola, I had an opportunity to become a Bluebonnet dealer because of my relationship with the company, so we stepped out in that arena.”
Garner Farm & Feed opened in December 2022.
Products and Services: Garner Farm & Feed has a complete line of feed products from Bluebonnet Feed and Arkansas-based Diversified Ag, offering products for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, rabbits and pets. Specialized alpaca and llama feed are also available.
“We’ve got it all,” Joe said, adding that business only offers bagged feeds.
Since opening in Viola, Joe said they have had a steady stream of customers and hope to have many new customers. Garner Farm & Feed is a true “mom-and-pop operation” with Joe, his wife Chelsea and oldest daughter Zeruiah staffing the business.
In addition to selling feed, Joe and his family also raise Nigerian Dwarf and Boer goats, and registered Zebu cattle. Being a producer himself, Joe said he feeds the products he sells because he believes they are of high quality.
“Bluebonnet, to me, their formulas are locked; they don’t change due to the time of year or anything like that,” Joe said of the product line. “It’s always the same. Different companies will put different grain products in at different times of the year, where Bluebonnet doesn’t. I worked for Diversified Ag for about 10 years, and I know the company’s owner and their feed. It’s good feed, and because I’ve fed it, I know what it does. That’s why we’ve gone with the feeds we have; we know what they are.”
Additionally, Garner Farm & Feed carries some animal health supplies, feeders and waterers for all species of livestock, and other farm-related products.
Garner Farm & Feed also hosts a monthly swap meet, allowing local residents to set up and sell items and animals on their lot.
In addition to the farming operation and the feed store, Joe is also the pastor of the Viola Solid Rock Assembly of God Church.
Future Plans: Joe said Garner Farm & Feed will stick to its current products, but he and Chelsea are not ruling out future expansion.
