Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Philip and Kathleen won the Family Farm of the Year honor from the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union last month during the organization's convention. In the back row from left are Kelsey White, Jonathan Clark, Sherry Byrd, Phillip Box and Jason Box. In the front row are Logan Byrd, Emmalyn Byrd, Kathleen Box, Opal Romero and Andrea Box.
The Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and much of his family surprised rural Tucumcari resident Philip Box when he and his wife Kathleen won the Family Farm of the Year honor during the union's convention in Greeley, Colorado, last month.
"I was sitting there, getting a piece of cheesecake" when he and his wife's name were announced for the award, Box said in a phone interview last week.
"I was totally in shock," he said.
Box's four children and three grandchildren knew about the honor beforehand but kept it quiet. They sneaked into the convention to surprise him when the honor was announced.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement and leadership in agriculture and community.
The Boxes grow feed crops, mostly for their own cow-calf operation, and they also own weaner cattle and do some finishing of the animals. They also set up a direct marketing program called Box Beef.
"Just as significantly, all of the Box family members invest their time in being advocates for the families who make their living farming and ranching," a news release from the union states. "They are mentors to beginning farmers and champions of making sure their community creates and maintains an environment to strengthen agriculture as an economic base and a way of life."
Phillip Box is an FUSA Insurance agent and has served on the boards of the local soil and water conservation district, credit union, rural water cooperative, ditch board and the city-county economic development board. He also is a trustee for Mesalands Community College.
Kathleen Box is stepping back from running a home-based daycare and remains a volunteer for community boards and committees, including Tucumcari Rawhide Days, 4-H and the Quay County Cooperative Extension Service. She also has served on the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union board of directors.
Both are members of the First Baptist Church of Tucumcari.
The Rocky Mountain Farmers Union is a grassroots organization of family farmers and ranchers in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.
