Paoli Farmers Co-op is 100 years strong

“Big enough to serve you, small enough to know you,” touts the Paoli Farmers Co-op’s slogan, which has now added — “100 years strong.”

The cooperative is in its centennial year, having organized in April of 1919. That 100-year legacy was celebrated Saturday, Aug. 10, at the annual meeting held at the Haxtun Community Center.

An attractive display of photos, poster boards with news articles and other visuals, as well as memorabilia from 100 years in business, greeted cooperative members as they registered at Saturday’s meeting.

Having served as general manager for the co-op for the past 27 years, Steve Bahnsen is a veteran at giving the manager’s report. Also present for the 100-year anniversary celebration were former managers Leo Fisbeck and his son, Lennie Fisbeck.

In the annual meeting election, Chris Fryrear earned a seat on the board of directors, replacing Steve Hadeen, who did not seek reelection.

Other board members include president Keith Chapman, secretary Leroy Michael, Duane Harms and Brad Michael.

14 farmers pledge cash in 1919
Fourteen farmers pledged cash in the spring of 1919 to finance purchasing the Paoli Grain & Trading Company to kick off the organization of Paoli Farmers Cooperative. Later the same year, a company house and additional lots were purchased for displaying the new farm implements they started selling.

The first elevator was made of wood and was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1920, along with the office, coal sheds and all of the records with the exception of those stored off-site.

With much determination for going forward, Paoli Farmers Cooperative had a new 21,600-bushel concrete elevator operational in time for wheat harvest, at a cost of $20,812.

Surviving some lean years and financial pitfalls, the cooperative held together and saw much growth, starting in the 1950s.

In 1953, a 300,000-bushel concrete elevator was constructed on the south side of the main elevator. A 340,000-bushel addition was made in 1957 and another 237,000-bushel annex in 1961.

In 1976, a 774,500-bushel capacity elevator and railroad track and loadout scale were constructed on the north side of the railroad tracks, taking the total capacity to 1.79 million bushels.

Continuing to outgrow its capacity, the co-op added a 300,000-bushel tank in 2010 and another in 2012. Each year, the co-op’s growth allows it to pile and/or bag around 1.5 million bushels of grain.

The present office was constructed in 1958, with an addition and remodeling completed three years ago, in 2016, to bring the office to its present-day condition.

A new seed cleaning plant was constructed in 1976. The second one was added in 1989 and was updated and expanded in 2016 due to the large increase in millet cleaning. The co-op now cleans millet year-round.

In Paoli, sitting a block north of Highway 6, Paoli Farmers Co-op dominates the small community’s business scene and continues to progress.

Strong support and loyalty from its producers is touted as Paoli Farmers Cooperative’s reason for growth as the cooperative moves forward in its second century of existence.