 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
California Riding Magazine • September, 2010 Hawthorne Country Store by Paige Hill |
The Hawthorne Country Store in Escondido has taken the family oriented approach while providing more than just feed, tack and farm supplies to San Diego’s North County. Now they are expanding and have recently opened a new store in Fallbrook. This store does far more than just sell your basic horse, livestock and farming supplies. They take pride in spreading education and preserving the country and locally grown way of life. Co-owner Heather Thelen explains, “We are far more than just a tack and feed store. We like to provide everything a person can need for their barn, farm or garden. We want to support all of our customers and meet all of their needs.” Customers out of the area can also shop online and buy certain goods, or check to see if items are in stock before driving to the store to pick them up. October will be an exciting time for the Hawthorne County Store. In addition to planning the grand opening of their Fallbrook location, they will team up with Purina Mills feed company for a noble cause. They will be selling specially marked pink bags of Purina Mills Equine Senior, Purina Omelene, and other Purina Mills products to raise over 50,000 dollars for breast cancer research. It is all part of the mission that the Hawthorne Country Store does for the surrounding community. A huge part of that mission is supporting local stables, agriculture, gardening and producing and preserving homegrown foods. Thelen points out, “We sell lots of seeds, planters and fertilizers. We really encourage everyone to get out there and grow some of their own food, even if they only live in an apartment. We can’t keep our preserving jars in stock they go so fast.” They also have natural and practical solutions for trimming down a stable’s fly population by drawing wild birds to the property via feeders. They also sell chickens and other live poultry of all ages to trim down fly larvae and provide farm fresh eggs. “We sell lots of bird houses and feeders, particularly humming bird feeders. About 50 percent of their diet is insects, and they do wonders for drastically cutting down gnats so horse owners don’t have to keep spraying over and over,” Thelen explains.
North County horse owners can find anything here for their horses, themselves, and for most of the other creatures on their land. Hawthorne Country Store has feed for equines that include Purina Mills, Triple Crown and several others. They also have feed for dogs, felines, birds, livestock and even tortoises. They also carry basic and durable round pens, fencing, waterers, feeders and any other important pieces of equipment needed around the ranch. The store sells new and used saddles, as well as gardening and riding apparel which include popular brands like Weaver, Stubben, Kerrits, Wrangler, and Carhartt. “Quality and durability is important. We try to stock useful clothing, tack and equipment that can do the job. We don’t carry show clothes or fancy apparel, but instead things that are going to be used every day at home,” Thelen remarks.
Another special aspect of this country super store is the extensive collection of books on hand. They sell a huge variety of new and used books that celebrate and educate customers. They consist of everything country, from do it yourself horse training books, to old-fashioned children’s stories. The massive collection of books makes it easy to find a guide for that new project around the stables, training a certain horse or dog, or even exploring a new hobby. If it has something to do with a western or country way of life, there is a great chance it will be found here. “We have a bigger collection of these kinds of books than the local bookstore,” Thelen states. Education is paramount for the Hawthorne Country Store, and they do what they can to support the North County equine and farming community. “We support the local 4-H and FFA clubs in the area, because we feel they do a good job in educating youth and spreading awareness of local farming and animal care.” Hawthorne Country Store goes above and beyond being a tack and feed store and constantly seeks to meet customer needs and to keep the country way of life alive for more generations to come.
To learn more about the Hawthorne Country Store and to shop online visit their website at www.hawthornecountrystore.com or call |
