Photo by Holly Allen – K4 Ag & Services owners Denver and Faith Bonnel and their children, Cohen, 1, and Oakley, 3, take one of the new Altoz mowers for a spin. They are inviting the public to do the same on their mower demo day Saturday, June 16.
by Holly Allen
In the year and a half since K-4 Ag & Services opened its doors on the highway at Valley Falls, its owners have prioritized putting a finger on the pulse of the community’s needs.
Though available for oil changes, tire repair, sales, and services in December of 2020, the store itself held its grand opening in early February of last year. Their primary offerings at the time included clothing and home decor, farm and pet essentials.
Initially owned by a group of investors including Denver and Faith Bonnel, Valley Falls, Kevin and Randi Lane, Winchester, and Tom and Tracey Funk, Nortonville, early this year the Bonnels bought out the other couples, and are now the sole owners of the business. Denver has managed operations and provided tire services since the business opened. A 2011 Valley Falls High School graduate, Denver previously farmed full time, working as a hired hand at local farms. He now works full time at the farm store. His wife, Faith, a 2014 VFHS grad, is a nurse PRN currently working part time at the hospitals at Holton and Winchester. The couple, wed in 2017, have two sons, Oakley, 3, and Cohen, 1.
They agreed to take on the venture initially to fill what they consider to be a vital role within the community.
“The town needed a tire shop. We needed a farm store. And we needed to not have to drive to another town to get those things,” said Denver.
Since taking over ownership of the store, Denver and Faith have paid particular attention to what works, and what doesn’t. They are making efforts to expand upon services deemed necessary to the community and do away with some of the things which haven’t been as successful, such as the sale of clothing.
Last summer, a farmers market and the occasional food truck took up residence in the store’s parking lot, as a benefit to residents and a way to draw people in to see what the store has to offer.
Armed with comments from customers, the store has recently hired a full-time mechanic in Brady Strecker, Mayetta, and expanded its automotive services to include things such as brake repair and tuneups. They also employ local part-timers like Brady Nellis, who helps out on the weekends, and temporary summer help from high school students.
K4 Ag has partnered with several companies to provide their products locally — Wildcat Feeds, Suther Feeds, Beck’s Hybrids, and Mix 30 among them. The business provides feed for pets and livestock of all kinds, milk replacer, grass seed and fertilizer, weed and feed, sprayers, bailing twine and fencing supplies, water softener pellets, ice melt, salt blocks and corn, Quik Crete, gates, bale rings and feed bunks, among many others. There are also home good items. They work to keep seasonal items in stock — things such as hardwood pellets in the winter, coolers in the summer.
In addition to their auto services, they also provide lawn mower and ATV/UTV maintenance, refill propane tanks, and most recently, have become a licensed dealer of Altoz mowers.
In fact, K4 Ag will be holding an open house event and mower demo day next Saturday, June 16, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., inviting the public to come test out three different Altoz mower models for themselves. The business will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for those in attendance.
“We hope people will show up to try out the mowers, and maybe see what else we have to offer,” said Faith. “And we’d love to hear suggestions for adding new inventory we don’t currently carry.”
The nature of the business will see to it that it remains vital in this rural setting, and Faith and Denver hope to continue to serve the community as its needs may change and grow. They have a couple ideas for expanding the business further in the future — with mention of becoming a licensed UTV dealer, and selling small outdoor power equipment like chainsaws and weedeaters. A mobile vet clinic day is also in the works.
“We’ve keep a running list of ideas,” said Faith. “We have been happy to have the support of the town, and we hope to be able to continue to meet the needs of the community.”
K4 Ag & Services, 1421 K4 Highway, Valley Falls, is open for business Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. until noon.