Success in agriculture

At its annual meeting earlier this month, the Willcox Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture presented its fourth annual “Ag Person of the Year” and “Ag Business of the Year” Awards.

LaDonna Burgess, who wrote the stories she presented, is past Chamber President as well as an ongoing Ag Committee Chairperson.

She explained why the Chamber honors area agriculture with the Ag awards.

“Our Chamber is unique because Agriculture is part of our name,” said Burgess, adding,” A mission of our Chamber has always been to bring recognition, support and educate people in our area on the importance of agriculture.”

“It is a main economic engine not only for Willcox, but our whole Sulphur Springs Valley, county, state and nation,” she said.

“There always have been and are today challenges to conquer and succeed in agriculture.”

“I understand, appreciate and love agriculture because of my roots,” Burgess said.

She explained that her grandfather homesteaded in South Dakota; and “my Dad worked his entire life to own and operate our farm and ranch, where I was acquired their same love and passion.”

Burgess said that her other grandfather lost his life in an auto accident while working in the Midwest and Canada on a threshing crew.

She went on to explain that she also “worked closely with our farmers during my 31 years at Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC).”

“The people we honor with our Chamber’s Ag awards know -- volatile markets, hail storms, high temperatures, early freezes, high fuel costs, diminishing water supplies, endless regulations and near impossible financing,” Burgess said.

“They produce food and fiber to feed a hungry world while being good stewards of the land for future generations.”

“Their job description is so long, diverse and technical it would take a day to read,” she added.

The 2012 Ag Business of the Year is Curry Farms and Curry Seed & Chili Company – Ed Curry.

Noel and his wife Anna moved to Southeastern Arizona in 1952 to escape a terrible drought that swept Oklahoma farmers, Burgess said.

“They were attracted to our area because of the plentiful ground water and our local SSVEC that provided rural power for irrigation pumps,” she told the audience.

The couple had a son, Ed, and a daughter, Helen Barnard, said Burgess, adding, “Ed became the farmer and his sister became the cowgirl of the family.”

“Tonight we honor Ed Curry -- a legend in the professional agricultural world,” she said.

“His Dad said Ed never did like anything else,” said Burgess, adding, “Maybe that’s how Curry Seed became an international business -- the best in the world selling seed to South Africa, Mexico, Israel, Peru, Australia, and soon to India and Ethiopia.”

She said that Curry “can certainly be called just a dirt farmer.”

“You may not know and appreciate that he works continuously to genetically improve seeds to grow not just here, but in climates around the world,” Burgess said.

He holds a “Guinness Book of World Record” for the “World’s Heaviest Pepper,” she said.

“Agriculture to him is the race car of life, the sun in his sunshine,” Burgess said.

Explaining why Curry likes seeds, Burgess said that when he was about six years old, Noel had a friend fly the two of them to Hatch to get certified New Mexico 6 chili seed.

“Only was floor sweepin’ seed was commonly used,” she explained.

“When you took a load of red chili to the chili dehydrator in McNeal, the seeds fell out on the truck floor and that was swept up and used for seed.”

Phil Villa, who was chili breeder for better quality, inspired Curry when he was 14 years old.

Noel was asked to grow some special seed plots for him and “that’s where Ed’s interest in seeds was planted,” she said.

Curry’s mother always tried to encourage her son to try to do a better job of farming and be aggressive to improve, Burgess said.

Ed and Jeanette, whom Burgess called “his very supportive wife, have eight children. 

She said that Curry does much for his community.

“If he doesn’t have time to help himself he sends his workers, loans tractors, does so much, and is very humble and quiet about it,” said Burgess, adding “He really cares about people in his community.”

She gave the example of the time “a lady in the area was ill with cancer and was hungry for watermelon. It wasn’t in season. Ed sent one of his workers to Nogales to get melons and take them to her home.”

Burgess said that while Curry “works tirelessly,” he does take time away from work to officiate many weddings and funerals.

He also does school programs, career days from Elfrida to Tucson; puts on FFA Field Days, and contributes to different school projects, she said.

Ed has been on Pearce School Board for more than 30 years, and is currently its President. 

“A very humble man -- a true Christian -- he just wants people to learn and love mankind and agriculture,” Burgess said.

“Ed Curry can be called just a dirt farmer, but add to that his extreme acceleration in Ag Science. He is a master in the world of genetics,” she said.

Burgess said that like his Mom and Dad, “we are very proud to this year’s Chamber Ag Business, Curry Seed & Chile and Curry Farms. The man responsible is Ed Curry.”

When it came his turn to speak, Curry said, “I have a wonderful mother and father…Mom always wanted me to improve things.”

Talking about genetics, Curry said, “there are a little over three billion characters in human genes.”

Addressing his comments to Baker, he said, “Alan, you’re a minister. The more I study genetics, the more I believe in God.”

“God made it so that we as humans are diverse,” Curry added.

As to his own genetic work with chilis, he said, “If you buy a can of green chilies, by the grace of God, that seed comes from our farm. It’s fun to know that can of green chilies came from me.”

Curry said that he was born in Douglas, and plans “on finishing my life right here in this valley.”

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