Top Shelf Feeds - The Mill

10/28/2026

We had some interest from an island YouTuber to do a story on “how we get grain back to the mill.” Click on the link and subscribe to Dave’s channel.

https://youtu.be/TEe_pPK72r0?si=45oig-OR5gVxG2Rp



Top Shelf Feeds - The Mill

Episode 32For this episode, I'm at Wellcox Railyard, Nanaimo BC Ca...

10/17/2026

Silo Fire Update — Top Shelf Feeds

Many people have been asking how things are going, so here’s an update.

The fire reignited last night just after 8 p.m. Some areas of the grain pile were difficult to assess, and heat continued to build until the fire worked its way back to the surface of the pile and inside the silo.

Once again, I would like to thank the Duncan Fire Department—especially the second shift—for their persistence and hard work. It was a long night, with the fire finally extinguished at 2 a.m. We appreciate every one of you and the effort you put into helping us.

Cleanup is nearly complete, thanks to Matt T Bins and Hauling . Thank you as well to everyone who has checked in and offered support.

Now, back to making feed and serving our agriculture community.

10/16/2026

What happened at Top Shelf Feeds today?

First and foremost, everyone is safe, the fire is out, and our facility is operating as usual.

Today, we experienced a fire inside one of our grain silos, which holds roughly 180 metric tonnes of grain. We want to share what happened and thank the firefighters who helped us through it.

Based on what we’ve found, a vent at the top of the silo had become plugged with dust. This vent allows displaced air to escape as grain enters the bin. During filling this past summer, the blocked vent caused part of the roof to cave in slightly.

That damage allowed some late-summer rain to enter the silo, wetting grain along the inside walls. Another load of grain later buried that wet material. Hidden beneath the surface, it began to decompose and slowly generate heat—similar to the heating process in a compost pile. Over time, that heat built up and developed into a slow-burning fire within the grain.

The fire has now been extinguished, and the affected grain is being removed and disposed of. Everyone is safe, and the rest of our facility was not compromised.

We cannot thank the Duncan Fire Department enough for their quick response, hard work, and care throughout this situation. We saw firsthand their close communication and attention to keeping everyone out of harm’s way.

The crew went above and beyond, helping pull grain from the silo and working thoroughly to make sure the fire would not reignite.

To the whole crew: thank you for showing up for our team and our community. We are incredibly grateful.

Also want to thank Matt T Bins and Hauling for showing up with the right equipment to make our lives easier, and a special mention to Romeo’s Duncan for delivering tasty pizzas to keep everyone smiling through the ordeal.

Top Shelf Feeds team

10/11/2026

09/21/2026

‼️WINNER‼️of the 2026 VIEX passes is Janet Evans. Congratulations and thank you to all entries. Your local business selections were awesome!

Top Shelf Feeds wants to send you to the 2026 Vancouver Island Exhibition!
Takes place ~ September 25th, 26th & 27th in Nanaimo.

We’re giving away FOUR one-day admission passes (plus bonus gift) so you can enjoy the animals, agriculture, local exhibits, entertainment and everything else the VIEX has to offer!

To enter:

✅ Like this post
✅ Follow our page
✅ Name your favorite “Island local” business (tag if possible).

Winner will be announced Thursday September 24th @ noon on this page.

Good luck—and we’ll see you at the Exhibition!

09/17/2026

‼️UPDATE‼️
Still time to win!! Drawing at 2pm today!!!


Win 2 weekend passes to this years Cowichan Exhibition

First ~ Share this page

Second ~ Name one farm on Vancouver Island or surrounding Gulf Islands

We will randomly pull one winner out of the comment section at 2pm Thursday Sept 17th/2026

Cowichan Exhibition

09/12/2026

A Quick Grain Market Update

We like to keep our customers informed about what’s happening in the grain markets and why feed prices can change.

Right now, several factors are putting pressure on grain and ingredient costs. Soybean markets have rallied on strong export demand, particularly increased buying from China, while corn and soybean supplies are being closely watched as new USDA crop estimates approach.

Here in Canada, Saskatchewan’s harvest is only 27% complete, compared with a 5-year average of 58%. Heavy rainfall has slowed harvest in some areas and is creating concerns around grain quality, movement and the amount of feed-quality grain that will ultimately be available.

Energy is another major factor. Rising crude oil and diesel prices affect nearly every step of getting grain to Vancouver Island — from harvesting and drying crops to rail, trucking and marine transportation.

Add in geopolitical uncertainty in the Black Sea and Middle East, and grain markets are experiencing considerably more volatility.

The simple version: grain prices, energy costs, weather, transportation and global demand are all moving at the same time.

At Top Shelf Feeds, we continue to watch these markets closely and work hard to source ingredients as efficiently as possible while maintaining the quality and consistency our customers expect.

We’ll continue to keep our Island farmers and customers informed as the 2026 harvest progresses.

09/08/2026

An update and a special thank you ❤️

The boys have been checking in regularly, and we’re happy to report that the doctors are pleased with their progress. Mathew and Brendan are both continuing to move in the right direction, and that’s the news we all love to hear.

Today’s update is really about saying thank you.

To everyone who has sent positive thoughts, kind words, messages, and moral support, please know how much it means to both of them. They have been following along and seeing the support from our community, and it has made a real difference.

We also want to share something very special. Someone that has been following along has made an incredibly generous financial donation to both Mathew and Brendan. And when I say generous, I mean generous.

The boys haven’t asked for much throughout this journey, so this came as a huge surprise. It also came at a time when some unexpected extra costs have come up. This gift will help ease some of those pressures and allow Brendan to make trips over to the mainland to see Mathew, who will be staying there until at least September 22nd.

We’re not sure whether this special person would prefer to remain anonymous, so we’ll respect their privacy for now.

But to you, from the boys and all of us at Top Shelf: thank you. This was such a heartfelt and amazing gift. Your generosity, kindness, and thoughtfulness are appreciated more than words can express, and it will never be forgotten.

It’s moments like this that remind us what a special circle of people we have around us. We’re grateful for every single one of you.

Keep the positive thoughts coming for Mathew and Brendan. They’re doing well, and we’ll keep you updated as they continue their recovery. ❤️

Brendan Wilkinson Top Shelf Feeds - Duncan retail

***UPDATE ON THE BOYS IN THE COMMENTS**** ❤️

A Story From Inside Our Top Shelf Family

We’re going to step away from agriculture for a minute and share something happening within our own little circle here at Top Shelf Feeds.

Two members of our team deserve a very special shout-out: Mathew and Brendan.

Mathew has been a longtime member of our retail team. Over the past year, while dealing with some serious medical issues, he received devastating news — he needed a kidney transplant.

It’s the kind of news that turns your world upside down.

There are the medical questions, the financial worries, the uncertainty of finding a compatible donor and the reality of what the road ahead might look like. Through all of it, Mathew also had another very important reason to stay strong — his young daughter, who depends on her dad.

Meanwhile, just across the parking lot, Mathew’s half-brother Brendan works on the mill and manufacturing side of our business. Brendan is an amazing employee, runs our warehouse, and somehow still finds the time to pursue his other passion — wrestling.

When Brendan learned what his brother was facing, he decided there was only one thing to do.

Find out if he could help.

Even being half-brothers was no guarantee they would be compatible. There would be blood work, testing, appointments, clinics, doctors and plenty of waiting.

Then came the news these two brothers had been hoping for.

Brendan was a match.

This past Tuesday, that match became something much bigger than a test result.

Brendan went into surgery at 7:30 in the morning to donate one of his kidneys to his brother. Mathew followed at noon to receive it.

The surgeries were successful.

Both brothers are now on the mend.

There is still a long recovery ahead, but what these two have already gone through together is pretty incredible. One brother was facing one of the biggest challenges of his life, and the other stepped forward and quite literally gave a part of himself to help him through it.

We couldn’t be prouder of them.

We look forward to having Mathew and Brendan healthy, recovered and back home on Vancouver Island — and eventually back around Top Shelf when they’re ready.

We talk a lot on this page about farming, community and supporting one another.

Sometimes we’re fortunate enough to see exactly what those words mean right inside our own doors.

Mathew and Brendan, all of us at Top Shelf Feeds are thinking about you both and wishing you a strong recovery.

Thank you for reminding our entire team what being a brother — and being family — is really all about. ❤️



Brendan Wilkinson