The U.S. Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame

INDUCTEES OF USCHI HALL OF FAME

Leo Popwell, Wellington, TX - (2001)

Leo was nominated by Janelle Popwell, Ralph Sides, Joe Jouett, Edwin sides & Jimmy Bowers

Leo Fulton Popwell, Wellington, Texas, began his harvesting in 1954. He owned a Gleaner Model A combine and hauled the grain in the bed of his pickup. In 1955, he purchased two Chevrolet trucks to haul the grain and he also purchased his first John Deere combine. This new combine was a 55 and he paid $5,500.00 for the machine. Leo started cutting mainly around the Wellington, Texas area on his own land and for other local farmers.

In 1956, Leo took his machine and two trucks to Dimmitt, Texas and cut milo that fall. This was the first year Leo traveled away form the Wellington area and began cutting for Martin Farms. Leo still harvests for them today. After 1956, Leo began traveling to Perryton, Texas and on to Colorado with two combines harvesting summer crops before returning to Dimmitt, Texas for the fall harvest.

The early 1960's Leo began harvesting grain as far north as Kansas before returning to Texas. In 1969, he cut for Ralph Sides at Childress, Texas. This same year Leo took his family with him on harvest and went as far north as Sydney, Nebraska. Leo, with the help of his family, was now able to make harvest his occupation, while hiring ourside help to farm his land in the Wellington area.

In 1973, Leo and Eddie his son, began making the harvest trail from Childress, Texas to Eagle Butte, South Dakota, making several stops in Kansas and Nebraska.

In 1974, Leo increased the number of combines to four machines, the number they continue to run today along with two grain carts. The harvest trail has grown much longer since the early 1980's. In 1984, Leo began splitting his machines and crew into two. He took two machines south to Taylor, Texas in July for corn harvest. Eddie took two machines and headed North with the rest of the crew winding up in Montana. Both Leo and Eddie return to Dimmitt, TX for the fall harvest. As soon as the grain harvest is over they start another custom harvesting operation, that of harvesting cotton.

Off and on over the years, Leo has also run trucks over the road during the winter months, when they are not on harvest. He feels this is one way to keep the family business running when they are unable to harvest any crops.

Today Leo has his son Eddie and two grandsons, Shane and Heath, helping on the harvest trail along with six to seven hired hands. Leo has always strived to keep the business running with as much family as possible. For the first several years, most of the help was Leo's wife, Maricarol, and their children, Eddie, June, Rosemary and Peggy.

Leo has actively supported the local activities of school children in the Wellington area. Every year, he gives money to the Future Farmers of America, local 4-H club for the Livestock Show. He also supports the athletes by sponsoring ads. Leo feels that it is important to keep the younger generation involved in livestock and farming. It is the younger generation which will keep his family operation going in the future.

Leo feels that the biggest difference between when he first started and now is that the equipment has improved considerably. The machines now have cabs, air conditioning, radios, and they handle better. The greatest problem in harvesting today is the difficulty in finding good, dependable help.