Living Sky Co-op in Peebles carries many supplies including hardware, garden supplies, lumber and more.
They also stock a variety of items for the farmers in the area and they have recently offered yet another service to repair and manufacture hydraulic hose ends. It’s their new hydraulic room which has officially been up and running since the harvest of 2020.
“We can service the construction companies and the large farm equipment,” explains petroleum manager Dave Lowenberg.
“We can provide a wider variety of options such as a one-inch hose, whereas the other guys will only service up to 3/4-inch.”
“We're learning by trial and error as we first get going and learning what parts to keep in stock,” explains Lowenberg. “We have the basics - pipe thread, JIC, ORB, and we'll expand from there on sizes and such.”
Living Sky Co-op not only serves the farming community but also the constructions companies, as well as their crimping machine.
“We carry a full line of the hydraulic hoses, hydraulic fluids for industrial and ag, and it just makes sense to stop in here.”
The Corning location has offered this service for a while, so Living Sky Co-op manager Jason MacDonald wanted to expand this same service at the Peebles location, and since Lowenberg had the experience he thought it was a good fit.
Their hydraulic room was built specifically for this reason. It is vented out and is heated as well to offer this service throughout the winter months.
“It’s all trial and error but so far every hose we built we haven’t had any come back so it must be a success,” says Lowenberg.
Living Sky Co-op provides one-stop shopping.
“Our oil is made for all equipment,” explains Lowenberg. “FCL (Federated Co-operatives Limited) is the only company that blends their oil in Saskatchewan. It’s all nice and handy. We carry ag, industrial and even have oil for the standard vehicle.”
Being the petroleum manager, Lowenberg says they’re busy basically from March 1 until the end of June and then they’ll have a little breather until harvest.
“There’s always something going on though,” he says.
Lowenberg goes on to say:
“The fuel and the oil business has grown a lot which is fantastic.”
“Not only has the bulk fuel business grown but we have the pay at the pump credit card 24-hour cardlock which has steadily seen an increase in customers.”
One final comment by Lowenberg, speaking of the farmers in the area in regards to Living Sky Co-op’s hydraulic room: “If they’re not working, we’re not working.”
