The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

With the arrival of Spring, Big Sandy's gardening and landscaping communities have a local source for buying high quality soil. For the last couple of years, Dan Matthew has been selling Glacier Gold Potting Soil and the Glacier Gold Professional Blend. Both soils are produced by Mountain West Products right here in Montana. Dan explained that the professional blend holds moisture longer. The Mountain West website explains additional benefits, like additional nutrients that are present in the soil. Neither soil uses commercial fertilizers, instead delivering nutrients through the compost base mixed into the soils.

Dan originally found the Glacier Gold Soils while buying compost from the Mountain West. "I saw they were selling this Glacier Gold Potting Soil. So I asked if would sell me a couple sacks. He said 'No. You're going to have to buy a whole pallet or you don't get none at all.' I said 'How much is it?' He told me and I said, let's put a pallet on there. He said 'You got a load.' I said 'We'll have a little more of a load. He said: 'It'll fall off,' because I have the 3 foot sides on the truck." Dan was determined to get the soil home, so he spread the pallet out through the bed of his one ton pickup and got both his soil and the compost home safely. A pallet of soil weighs a ton and consists of 50 forty pound bags. His second year of buying Glacier Gold, Dan was informed that the location would only sell the soil to customers with a history of purchasing from them.

The Matthews used their first load of soil in their own yard and flower beds, but were also approached by someone who saw the pallet and wanted to buy some of it. Dan realized that he could probably do a good bit of business selling the soil locally. He began hauling a couple of tons of potting soil in every trip, selling it, and then running for more. Eventually, he began using a flatbed to haul around 5 tons at a time. He has discovered that he has little trouble selling the bulk potting soil. The Glacier Gold potting soil has a good reputation amongst gardeners in the area. In his first week of selling Glacier Gold this year, he has already sold a ton of the soil, most of it going to buyers in Havre and Fort Benton.

Dan sells the Glacier Gold Potting soil for $6 a bag, while the higher end Glacier Gold Professional Blend sells for $7 a bag. Anyone interested in picking some up can call him at 378-2322. He is able to fill large orders and can easily run for more if it is needed.