Ingenuity leads to successful business in rural Faulkton

By Sarah Rausch Special to the Farm Forum

Necessity was certainly the mother of invention for Kelly Melius of rural Faulkton. In 2000, Melius had been farming with his father, Roger, for twelve years and knew he needed to start supplementing his farm income. There just wasn't enough land for both he and his father to operate. This began Common Sense Manufacturing, Inc. in Fall 2000 with only one type of product in its inventory Ð Melius's unique style of bale feeder. Frustrated with the low quality and durability of many bale feeders he had seen, Melius decided to create his own.

This bale feeder, which holds the hay up off the ground, was such a hit that Melius went through the time and trouble, about two years, to get it patented. The distinctive design allows calves to eat from the bottom of the feeder rather than being unable to reach the hay or even getting caught in the middle of a traditional feeder.

The creation of his innovative bale feeder led Melius to design other useful products for farmers and ranchers, including bottomless feed bunks, calf shelters, windbreak, hydraulic wire winders, and horse shelters. All of the products made by Common Sense are extremely heavy-duty and come with five-year warranties for breakage. "We want our products to last a long time," Melius says. "My products are very practical and I know they work well because I use them too."

Just as revolutionary as his bale feeder, the bottomless feed bunk is highly advantageous as well. "When you're feeding bulky things, it'll hold more than twice as much as a regular feed bunk," says Melius. A customer can then buy fewer feed bunks, which in the long run, will save money. The bottomless feed bunk also "improves maintenance time in the winter because you can move it onto new, fresh ground instead of having to shovel away snow," Melius adds. Because the feed bunk has no bottom, lifting it up completely cleans it out.

Melius's passion for running Common Sense Manufacturing comes primarily from the creative independence it affords him. He enjoys making a product that is appreciated. While he's out on the road delivering products, Melius is constantly building new products in his head. "I have tons of ideas for things that I have seen that I can improve on and make new and unique," he says. He plans to add more of his inventions to his product line over the years.

Patience and persistence have paid off so far for Melius; he went from being a one-man gig to a business with five employees. He is now selling his products in many states, primarily through dealers in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska and Montana. His hydraulic wire winders are sold nation-wide and Common Sense's dealer list is growing steadily. There is virtually no more time for farming anymore as his ever-increasing business has taken up the majority of Melius's time.

With the cost of steel at an all-time high, Melius's competitive prices have been forced to increase due to the heavy weight of his products (his bottomless bunk feeder weighs 1,000 lbs.). Melius feels that they are definitely worth the extra money though. "I am a firm believer in paying a little extra for something that is going to hold up," he says. "Over time, my products are still a good buy because they are a very long-term investment."