Hello! I am Randy Jones, owner of Bitterroot Tool & Machine, exclusive builder of GrainMaker® mills. Back in 1998, my wife Bonnie wanted a hand operated grain mill. We couldn't find one we liked, so I made her one! I don't think either of us imagined how our lives would be changed by that first GrainMaker® mill. After repeated requests from friends and family for a mill of their own, we decided to start our own business. From that humble beginning for our own use, today we ship our mills all over the globe! We've been blessed by meeting so many folks who are ready to take charge of their food and improve the quality of their lives.
While I enjoy machining and designing new things in the shop, I enjoy the beautiful state of Montana most from the back of a horse. One particular ride I look forward to each year is a seasonal "job" that takes me nine miles into the Bitterroot Wilderness. Along with several other men, a cook and at least one dog. I am hired to clean out a high mountain lake that area ranchers use for irrigation water. Every year there are avalanches in the mountains around the lake which put root wads and trees into the water. All the debris must be cleaned out to allow the water to run freely. I call this a job, but really it is a wonderful weekend away in God's country! My saddle horse "ShyAnn" moves along at a quick pace, and my Shire/Belgian draft horse "Slim" have gone on this trip with me many a time. It's not unusual to see moose on this ride either in the forest or swimming in one of the mountain lakes!
Hello! I am Bonnie Jones. In 1998, Randy and I were home-schooling our children and learning to become more “God reliant”. I like that term more than self-sufficient. That is when I decided to start milling my own flour. Randy had the design for the mill in his head. He was working at a Tool & Die company at that time, and he went to work and asked his boss if he would be allowed to use some scrap from the scrap pile to make a mill for me. His boss said “Ok”, and that is when the GrainMaker® mill began!
In February of 1999, Randy set the first GrainMaker® mill up for me to use. Little did we know then how this little tool was what God was going to use to allow us the opportunity to fulfill our dream of starting our own Tool & Die business! His boss was gracious enough to allow him a year’s leave of absence to be sure this was what we really wanted. In that years time, we traveled some with the GrainMaker® to local shows and started introducing the product to the public! After all, it is one thing for family and friends to want one, but we didn’t know one thing about marketing a product, let alone have the ability or the funds to advertise!
We continued to homeschool our children and they grew along with our business! We soon expanded to manufacturing parts for other companies. It wasn’t long before we quickly outgrew our little shop - which was actually in our “barn” - and our power supply! We made the decision to relocate the shop a couple of miles down the road. We were able to build a room in the new building for our school room, to allow us all to stay together!
As our children started to graduate, get married and finally start having children of their
own, I took some time off from working at the business. I have been blessed to have attended each of my grandbabies births! What a miracle to witness a new life coming into the world!
While I love to be at home baking and canning, it wasn’t long to realize I was there alone. It was 2008, and we made the decision to start nationally advertising the GrainMaker®. As business started to really pick up, it wasn't long before Randy decided he needed help. It was natural for me to join him once again since using the GrainMaker® mill was personal for me. While I don’t consider myself a salesman, I love visiting with folks and answering questions about the GrainMaker® is very comfortable for me! I spent the summer of 2006 baking bread and pies for our local farmers market. Each Friday would find me baking 80 loaves of bread and 12 pies! I ground all my wheat and rye flour with my GrainMaker® mill.
God has truly blessed us both as we are able to work alongside each other and two of our sons. We are “hands-on” in the shop, in the office and at trade shows around the country. Today I answer the phone, respond to emails and assist customers. We are also Nana and Boompa to a growing family, so don’t be surprised if you hear little voices in the background when you call the office!
Well, thank you for allowing us to introduce ourselves! Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to the opportunity to “meet” you soon!
