Welch Farms

      In 1956 Gene Welch moved his small family from the Plainview, Texas area to the Hereford/Summerfield, Texas area in search of available farm land.  The southwestern Texas panhandle area had recently begun to develop irrigation as the primary form of farming.  He found a piece of land available and borrowed money and equipment to begin farming.

      The land Gene first farmed proved to be extremely labor and time intensive and non-productive. In 1957 he was offered a small farm to rent south of Black, Texas. This land was much more productive and the rent was affordable. In the next several years Gene rented more land and eventually bought a quarter section with a house on it. This solidified his commitment to the area.  He went on to buy farm after farm that connected to his land until he had put together a sizeable operation all south of Black and east of Friona. He and his wife, Mildred had three children, two girls and a boy, all of which attended Friona schools. The farm has grown to about 3500 acres.

      In 1979 Gene’s son, Kevin, graduated from Texas Tech with a Agriculture Economics degree, and came back to farm with his Dad. They shared labor and equipment for several years but had separate farms. Then, in 2003, they decided to join their operations in a general partnership called Welch Farms.  The partners consisted of Gene and his wife, Mildred, and Kevin and his wife, Linda.  Kevin now serves as manager of the business and continues to seek the advise of his dad. He also has used the labor of his four children (Kelsey, Katy, Dillon and Duncan) and enjoys the blessings of a true family farm.

      Over the years the Welch’s have produced many different commodities. These include wheat, corn, cotton, grain sorghum, sorghum silage, seed sorghum. Also, soybeans, sunflowers, safflower, and black-eyed peas.

      Welch Farms also has a cattle operation that includes cow/calf production and a winter grazing operation of yearling cattle. A confined feedlot is included on the place and is used when the market and feeding conditions are favorable.

      The Welches believe in being stewards of the land and all the resources that are under their control. Their desire is to pass this land on to the next generations in as good of condition as possible and to dedicate its use to feed and clothe as many people as possible. Their ultimate desire is to give God the glory for all He has blessed this family with.    

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