The U.S. Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame

INDUCTEES OF USCHI HALL OF FAME

Eddie Popwell - (2017)

Some people are lucky enough to find their passion early in life. Eddie Popwell was one of those lucky people. Raised by 2001 Hall of Famer, Leo Popwell, Eddie's first taste of harvesting was at the tender age of 5. He rode a John Deere 55 combine with his father and learned the joy of harvesting.

Eddie's family began their harvesting tradition in 1908. His great-grandfather had a thrasher pulled by a steam engine tractor. After the wheat was thrashed, he would haul the grain in the back of horse drawn wagons. Today, five generations later, Eddie is still carrying on the family tradition.

In 1962 he traveled to Walsh, Colorado, to help with the harvest. At the age of 10, Eddie would become a young combine driver, driving part time when his dad would take a lunch break or be away from the combine for a while. Filling in during these times began his journey on the "harvest road.” By the late 60's he had helped harvest in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska getting home just in time to start school.

In the fall season of 1971, Eddie bought his first cotton stripper, a 2-row attachment that fit on an M-Farmall tractor. Today he has two 8-row 7460 self-propelled John Deere strippers, two boll buggies and two modular builders that he uses in his cotton harvesting business. In 1973, Eddie heard a local harvester, Ernest Maxwell, was retiring. At that time, Eddie bought Mr. Maxwell's two combines, service truck and travel trailer. Eddie then became a partner with his father in Popwell Harvesting.

The mid 70's brought changes into Eddie's life. Not only did he find a wife, LeAnn, but he also had a son, Shane, who would later work side by side with him. LeAnn would spend an endless amount of time cooking and helping anyway she could. Four years later, they were blessed with another son, Heath. When he got old enough, he joined the crew as well. Today Heath's sons, Keath and Kaden, have joined the group alongside his brother, father and grandfather. Sadly, Eddie lost LeAnn when she passed away in 2003.

In April of 1983, Mr. Weiss and his daughter-in-law, Phyllis Weiss, organized the first meeting of custom harvesters in Canyon, Texas. This was the beginning of what is now known as the U.S. Custom Harvesters, Inc. Eddie was at that first meeting and has been a member ever since that day.

Eddie would start his wheat harvest “run” going as far south as Uvalde, Texas. He would work his way back to the Texas Panhandle before going on to Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Montana. After returning from the wheat harvest, his crew would begin corn harvest, milo harvest and finish the season harvesting cotton. In December 1991, Popwell Inc. was formed. By the year 2000, local help was hard to get. Eddie started hiring workers from South Africa and Mexico. Today these extra workers, along with the family, complete his crew allowing him to run three S670 John Deere combines, four W9 Kenworth semi-trucks and two John Deere tractors with grain carts.

Eddie is an active part of the community in many ways. He supports different local school organizations, including the local Collingsworth County 4-H and FFA Livestock Shows. Eddie strongly feels that keeping the youth aware of the value of farming and harvesting is important for future agricultural generations. The Collingsworth County farming community works together helping families during sickness or tragedy. Eddie is part of this support team volunteering his equipment or time when needed.

Eddie met and married Pam Hunter in 2015. Pam is not a newcomer to custom harvesting. Being a former wheat harvester herself, she helped her husband, Tony, with the harvest each year until he passed away in 2009.

Eddie has seen the evolution of technology in the harvesting field, but the basic values of people in the harvesting business and community will never change. Hard work, compassion and the joy of a job well done will always be the cornerstone of the harvesting industry.

Eddie Popwell