The Bird Men at the Stratford Farmer’s Market

Coach Ron Neeb and Andrew Hoskin were at the Stratford Farmer’s Market on Saturday, doing lots of business for the A&A Birdseed stand.

Two young entrepreneurs have expanded their door-to-door bird seed delivery business to also include a spot at the weekly Stratford Farmers Market at the Rotary Complex.

Andy Van Schaik and Andrew Hoskin, owners of A&A Birdseed, enjoy serving customers at the far end of the indoor market every Saturday morning from 7 a.m. until noon.

The pair started at the market in the fall of 2021 and now carry 11 different kinds of birdseed, as well as suet cakes and suet logs, bird houses, bird feeders and more.

Van Schaik and Hoskin are both graduates of Lambton College’s Community Integration through Co-Operative Education (CICI) program, which helped them to develop independence as well as foster a desire to seek new opportunities. They both have part-time jobs besides the birdseed business and live independently on their own. They have both demonstrated that determination and hard work do have their rewards.

The supplies for the birdseed stand are brought to the market every Saturday morning by Hoskin’s dad, along with his wife, Donna, who own and operate a farm and feed store near London.

The birdseed arrives mostly in large bags, like what you would purchase from a feed mill. A&A Birdseed sells the birdseed in seven- or eight-pound bags, so there is a lot of packaging that needs to be completed before it can be sold.

Hoskin works the early shift from 6:30-9:30 a.m. and Van Schaik works from 9:30 a.m. until noon when the market closes. Most of the mornings are very busy selling 25 to 40 bags of birdseed weekly, just the way customers like it.

With the enthusiasm of both sets of parents, John/Donna and Dave/Cathy, Van Schaik and Hoskin have come a long way in their business model.

In the beginning, Hoskin would weigh out the birdseed at his parents store, bring the bags to Stratford and Van Schaik would make the deliveries to their customers on his three-wheeled bicycle. The business has thrived considerably since, taking up residence at the Stratford Farmers Market.

Customers can now come directly to the market, choose the variety of birdseed they want, and take it right home with them for their feeders. They always have lots of stock on hand and can accommodate bulk sales as requested.

Hoskin and an Schaik, along with family friend and coach Ron Neeb, who himself likes to help the boys, welcomes everyone to stop in by the A&A Birdseed stand anytime they’re at the Stratford Farmers Market, and browse the inventory, perhaps make a purchase, or just to stop and say hi.