About Us
Family Owned & Operated Since 1978
In the decades since we first opened our doors, our commitment to customers has remained the top priority. We know that we exist because of them and nothing can pry our focus from that truth. While we have adapted to meet the new needs of our customers, we have held on to the thing that makes us unique to the industry: genuine human connection. We will always be available to our customers when they need us.
Our Story
1978
Tarwater Opens
Tarwater Farm & Home was started in 1978 by R.A. Tarwater in a small gas station with a 1,600 sq. ft warehouse. He had been in the feed and seed business for 23 years, and wanted to service his community with honest expertise that only a family owned and operated business could bring.
1980
Family Owned and Operated
The Tarwater family was very involved in the everyday business. Mr. Tarwater managed the store, Mrs. Tarwater kept the books, and their three children came in every day after school and through the summer months. We pumped gas. After a couple years, we built a bigger warehouse and concentrated on the farm and home business.
1984
Growth
We were blessed with continued growth and expanded again in 1984, adding another warehouse, knocking down the old rock gas station that served as our showroom, and building a new showroom and offices.
1994
Feed Mill
We purchased our current elevator and feed mill in the mid 1990’s to bring in our own line of bagged feeds.
1997
New Generation
Upon Richard and Susan’s retirement they sold the business to their son, Rich and his wife, Lisa. Their children Levi, Megan and son-in-law, Abe run daily operations.
1999
Expansion
We expanded our main warehouse with another building to the west, to offer more products and storage space for the store.
2011
More Expansion
In the fall of 2011, we added a state of the art 2,000 sq. ft. bulk chemical facility to better serve our customers and began work on a brand new showroom and shop facility. In February 2012, our new showroom and shop was completed. Our 4,000 sq. ft., 3-bay shop is state-of-the-art to improve our service capabilities and our new showroom tops over 16,000 sq. ft., complete with a mezzanine and stage area to display even more products. We also added additional parking and a larger outdoor display area as well.
2015
New Seed Warehouse
In 2015 we added an 8,000 sq. ft. seed warehouse and treatment facility. It is a fully-automated system for better and faster service.
2017
More Warehouse Space
With the addition of 7 acres to the South, we were able to build a much-needed warehouse to store more goods and keep up with demand. The addition of this warehouse allowed us to tear down the old store that is now a parking lot to offer more room for customers and allow for easy access.2020
Second Location Opens
As we grew, we felt called to open a second store to be closer to our Holton customers. In 2020, we opened our Holton location to expand our quality goods and services to the community.2024
Rich and Lisa Retire
In 2024, Rich and Lisa retired, handing over daily operations to their children Levi, Megan and son-in-law, Abe.
We thank you for our continued growth and look forward to working with you for years to come.
Our Core Values: D.R.A.W.
D - DETERMINED
We are the first to sweep the floor.
R - RELATIONAL
We are kind, tenderhearted and forgiving to one another, as God in Christ as forgiven us.
- Based on Ephesians 4:32
A - AUTHENTIC
What you see is what you get.
W - WE ADD VALUE
We want people to leave with more than they came with.
