Not that it matters my dad had no clue about the markets. The grandfather I have referred to is moms dad. He's the one that understood how cycles, politics and economics all tied together. Most of the things he taught me still work. .. His dad, my great grandfather was also an investor but not the typical investor. He had a vision and story you might find interesting. .
Around 1899 great gramps felt a need for a farmers cooperative in the area. At that time nothing like this existed in the region. He started by going to a fertilizer/seed company and pre-ordering for himself and 5-6 neighbors. He felt a better deal could be made with a volume order and it worked. The word spread fast. Every farmer talks to his neighbor, to the local grocer, the barber, the butcher, the bartender etc... From what I was told the old grapevine was chattering pretty hard.
About 6-7 years into this idea he had to set up 2 drop locations each about 10 miles outside his farm as the orders were too large to fit in his yard. Now he had 3 drop zones and a few employees.. They were all along a rail line so that made it easy, for those days. It went from that to forming the legal cooperative in 1914 or 15.
He didn't do it all on his own. Several others were involved, a true cooperative before it was a cooperative on paper, the idea was his.
By the early 20s most locations had nearly everything most farmers needed. Tools, general supplies, some vet supplies, hardware, fencing materials, some building supplies etc. The concept not only created jobs, but made it cheaper and more convenient for the farmer to get his needs. Think there were 9 locations then.
Thanks to more money coming in and the trucking industry about 30 locations sprouted up across the region with most of the expansion done in the early 50s.
By the late 30s many locations had farm equipment, service bays for automobiles, gas pumps, bulk LP, mills that would grind your grains and more. By 1965 or so many had snowmobiles..
I worked for one location while in high school.
The organization merged into a new group in the late 90s.
Great gramps was an immigrant from Norway. Another example of using your head, getting off your dead ass and making something for yourself.. I doubt he had a pot to piss in when he arrived at Ellis Island.
Ya hear kids whining about no opportunities. BS. All you need to do is think, look around, put down the stupid phone, get your ass off the couch and do it.
But ya, all the teachings from dear old gramps, plus what I've learned is all being passed on. Piles and piles of notebooks, financial news papers, gesh Glad I'm not the one that has to organize it.
You get what you pay for.
