Your Feed sources - stores or mills?

[Piper]

I grew up, in a big city (St. Louis, Mo.), where my idea of getting animal food was the local grocery store.
In trying to find animal feed, at lower prices, I have found feed stores and 50 lb bags. Not all feed stores carry grain and there have to be less expensive ways that an rancher feeds their animals. -- So, in reading, I have seen some people mention mills and co-ops, I even saw one person say that they bought straight from a farmer.
- Do mills also sell whole grain? Are they cheaper? What size bag, how much do you have to get? Do all mills sell to the public? What are grain elevators? Do grain elevators sell animal feed or just seed (that may have chemicals added) for planting?
-I am currently in Texas (for the last 30 odd years) - in the middle of farm/ranch country. Wondering how they keep a farm/ranch going?

 

[skysthelimit]

For the first time ever in my life, I saw a grain elevator last month. I've been trying to figure out what this mill thing is, my local feed store calls itself "Wilson's Feed Mill" but obviously not, they only sell corn or oats, they looked at me crazy when I asked for barley, and they have not had hay for almost a year. I am wondering how these people feed their animals, it's hard for me to think they buy hay from TSC at 16.00 a bale!

 

[Piper]

My last bale of (Bermuda) hay was at Atwoods at about $8 a bale. The local newspaper did an article (a while back) about organic farms. I think I need to dig it up and go buy something, while I am there, will ask how they do it.