Farming seemed to be so easy when Tim and I were first married. We, along with his brother, farmed 10,000 acres of irrigated farmland in the Texas Panhandle. Every year a profit was made, our net worth grew, but it was at the expense of family.

In 2006, we felt God telling us to separate the partnership and make family a priority. We bought a farm and moved 100 miles away. As the years went by, though, we questioned our decision. From hail storms, to severe drought that lasted years and the devastation of sugar aphids, we had not seen a profit since 2009.

Our family sold off land and equipment to reduce debt, watched our expenses and planted diversified crops. The goal was to increase our income, while reducing the amount of acreage we owned and farmed. We knew that God would take care of us if we followed Him. We prayed over every decision that came upon us whether big or small.

Winter is a time of rest and crop planning for a farming family in the Texas Panhandle. While looking through our crop history, we knew the one crop that was the most profitable on the least amount of acreage was sweet corn. It had been planted years ago, picked by hand and sold at the local Farmers Market. Not only was it profitable but satisfying selling a product that people enjoyed! Yes, sweet corn would be on the list this year whether we picked it by hand with our four boys or found a used corn picker. Our farm had to break even this year. We had nothing left to sell.

“How are we going to do this God?” we asked as April came closer. Then a man’s name came to Tim one day – Willie Wieck. Would he help us, though? Willie Wieck was a competitor in the sweet corn market. Tim found his phone number and called. Willie was more than willing to help. He was retiring and wanted to sell his business, equipment and all the information we needed to make this venture a success. 

The first year that Gee Family’s Gourmet Sweet Corn was open, the farm paid off the loan for the equipment. Even though sweet corn is the hardest and longest harvest on the farm, it is the sweetest.

Every good and perfect gift comes from above. Coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17