Posted: 5/21/03

Houle a fixture at mill in Forest Lake

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Around Forest Lake, it seems like Willard Houle has always been part of the E.J. Houle, Inc. feed mill operation.

And thatís not a total stretch. The mill had been open just a year when Houle was born in April of 1917. Heís 86 today and has been around for just about all of the history that has followed the mill.

Throughout its 87-year history in Forest Lake, the Houle Feed Mill has been a family-owned operation. Willard Houle took over the business from his father and business founder, E.J. (Edmund) Houle in the late 1930s.

Today the business in Forest Lake and a sister store in Stillwater, are owned by Joan and Willard Houleís four sons and daughter: Gary, Jim, Jeff, Greg and Mary Koski.

But Willard Houle is still a fixture at the mill taking care of jobs that need to be done and helping out wherever he can.

ìI just help out,î Houle said on a spring day, talking about the mill operation at 55 SW 2nd St. ìI intend to come down each day as much as I can, but do less and less.î

At 86, Willard Houle enjoys his time on the golf course, fishing and hunting and being with Joan at family and church functions. But on any given day ó for at least part of the day ó youíll find Willard tucked away in the small office at the mill doing what he has done for more than a half century.

Functional changes

What you see on the surface today is much the same as the early days of the mill. Equipment improvements and additions have been major for the mill over the years.

Over its near 90-year history in Forest Lake, the mill operation has transcended its original function of servicing farmers over a wide geographic area to more specialized services for hobby farmers and suburban residents with a wide base of needs that are provided by a feed mill.

It was pure farming when the feed mill opened in August of 1916 after nearly one-year of construction.

Edmund Houle, the son of a farmer south and west of Forest Lake, had an early interest in the feed business and worked for a feed and seed company in Minneapolis.

As Willard recalls it, his father recognized the potential for an elevator business in Forest Lake. In 1915, he pooled his savings and began cutting timber on a 40-acre parcel owned by his father, John B. Houle, Sr. Some of the lumber was sawed in the woods and hauled to Forest Lake to use in construction of the mill.

By August of 1916, the mill was open and E.J. had sold his first wagon load of feed. It was at this point that E.J.ís brother, Harry, joined the company under the name E.J. Houle Company.

The business thrived in the early years and served a wide base of customers. To enhance that growth, E.J. Houle Company later acquired mills in Stacy, Chisago City and Lindstrom.

The location of the Forest Lake elevator was strategically placed along side the Northern Pacific rail line. Land housing the mill was leased from the railroad, a practice that continued until the mid-1990s when the Houle family purchased the land from Burlington Northern after the rail line was abandoned and the tracks removed.

ìAlmost everything came in by rail,î Houle said of the products that were used in making livestock feed.

Willard believes the early success of the mill was due to the creativity of his father.

ìHe was a very progressive person,î Willard said. ìHe first started mixing feed by hand with shovels.î

As the volume of sales and demand increased, the mill operation automated to better handle the production. Houle says the mill has a solid track record of making equipment improvements to handle the growing demand.

2nd generation

Willard always spent time around the mill as a kid growing up in Forest Lake. So did the late Merton Houle, a son of Harry Houle and Willardís cousin.

By 1938, Willard had joined his father in the business. World War II sent the two young Houle boys off to military service ó Willard to France and Mert to the Pacific.

When the war ended, the two returned home and became partners in the mill.

Mert Houle, who later worked for the city of Forest Lake as a clerk, retained ownership until the late 1970s.

From the early 1940s to around 1970, the mill was a key player in the area turkey growing business which boomed for the better part of 30 years. As many as 20 large-scale turkey farms in the area turned to the mill for feed products.

The business has continued to change its focus over the past 30 years or so as the number of farms in the area continued to dwindle.

Today, the business specialized in feed products for dairy cattle, hogs, horses, ducks, chickens and even emus. The products are consumed on small farms and hobby farms in the area.

The mill even makes a giraffe feed for animals at Como Zoo in St. Paul. Wild bird feed is another key business line for the mill.

ìAnything we can make here, we make,î Houle said.

Willard today

Although he stepped away from ownership about 10 years ago, Willard still enjoys coming to the mill almost daily but having the freedom to do other things if he wishes.

After seeing his father retire and step away completely, Willard says he long ago promised himself he would continue to work part-time to help stay active.

ìMy dad quit and he shouldnít have quit,î Willard said. ìHe missed the work. Iíve been lucky that I can do almost everything I wanted to do.î

The future

Houle believes the market in the Forest Lake area cab continue to support the mill operation.

But tucked away in what could be a prime development area near US-61 and W. Broadway, other demands for the 3‡-acre land parcel may surface. When that may happen is uncertain

But one potential use of the mill site has faded. At one point in the past several years, the mill site had been considered as a possible location for a county government center and library serving the north end of Washington County.

But with the county now exploring other options, including the Northland Mall site on US-61, the mill property has seemingly escaped the planning board for any county and Forest Lake Economic Development Authority project.

And thatís just fine with the patriarch of the business who enjoys his daily treks to the mill to do the work he has been doing for more than 60 years.

Top of Page