2026 - Volume #50, Issue #4, Page #30
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‘Bucket Buddy’ Keeps Feed Buckets Upright
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“Like many a cattle producer, I use buckets to transport feed to my cow-calf herd as needed, either in a side-by-side or a pickup (box or flatbed),” says creator Mark Whisler.
He runs a manufacturing business in south-central Iowa that specializes in unique products for livestock producers.
“I raise and breed virgin heifers for resale,” Whisler says. “Each year, I buy these heifers from a ranch in western Nebraska. Then, throughout the summer, I feed them a specific amount of daily feed so they reach a target weight by the time they’re marketed as bred animals.”
The farm is 10 miles away, so Whisler must drive his side-by-side down the road to reach their paddock.
“Most days, several, if not all, of the buckets would be dumped over, leaving me to try and scoop the feed back into the bucket by hand, a nearly impossible endeavor.”
This spillage prevented cattle from getting their precise daily feed amount.
Whisler aimed to build an attachment that could stabilize six buckets at once and pivot easily between modes of transportation.
“My first prototype was made out of sheet metal in my school shop (Centerville Community Schools), where I’m an Industrial Arts instructor,” he says.
After several rounds of modifications, Whisler felt confident the attachment worked as intended.
“I began working with a patent attorney and filed a patent in January 2025. Now I’m currently marketing the product (patent pending) through our website.”
Today, each Bucket Buddy system is made from 100% USA-made materials and assembled in the heartland.
“I purchase sheets of HDPE (high-density polyethylene, used for Rubbermaid-brand stock tanks) from a supplier in Grimes, Iowa. It’s extremely durable and lightweight. Our 6-bucket model weighs under 32 lbs. I have a manufacturer in Indianola, Iowa, that cuts the tops and bottoms, and a machine shop in Centerville, Iowa, that machines the pillars that separate the tops and bottoms.”
He finishes each Buddy with corrosion-resistant stainless-steel bolts.
He also offers a 3-bucket model that attaches to the front or rear racks of an ATV.
“The people who’ve purchased our products have been very impressed with how well it works.”
The MSRP for the standard 6-bucket Bucket Buddy is $440. A Freon holder costs $380, and the 4-wheeler 3-bucket system is priced at $307. Whisler encourages people to visit the website, as special pricing offers are always available.
“The Bucket Buddy stabilizes whatever you may be hauling in 5-gal. buckets, in whatever you choose to transport it in,” says Whisler. “It isn’t fancy, flashy or technological. It just works.”
There’s little installation required beyond placing it in the back of any side-by-side, pickup or other vehicle.
“Load the buckets and roll.”
He enjoys it when customers challenge the ease of use.
“At this year’s Iowa Ag Expo, an individual walking through the exhibitor booths told me he was certain he could tip those buckets in his side-by-side. I just laughed and said, ‘Maybe so, but I guarantee your rig won’t be sitting on its wheels if you do.’”
Whisler is adamant that each Bucket Buddy lasts a lifetime.
“When my patent attorney asked why I’m so focused on making this product so durable, I explained that the older I get, the harder it is to buy things that last. If I’m lucky enough to make a product someone wants to purchase, I want them to be happy with its effectiveness. A happy customer will become my best salesperson.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Whisler, Bucket Buddy, 23766 540th St., Centerville, Iowa 52544 (ph 641-895-1612; whisler@m-wbucketbuddy.com; www.mwbucketbuddy.com).
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