Dale Swinburn
Founder "" Windstar Inc., a Cotton Ginning & Investment Company IF DALE SWINBURN (B.S. in agronomy '65) of Tulia could safely drive a tractor while reading a book, he would be a happy man. Farming has been his vocation since attending the university, but reading has been a favored pastime nurtured by his teacher mother and school superintendent father.
Reading farm journals and nonfiction and fiction books fuels Swinburn's love of learning, as does attending conferences and traveling abroad to China, Brazil and other locales to understand the globalization of farming. The result is a farmer who has incorporated new techniques over the years to maximize production while conserving water, fuel and other resources.
Farm Mechanization. "If you look at agriculture over the last 100 years, half of the people in this country worked in agriculture in the early 1900s to feed the other half. But, farm mechanization was a powerful thing, and it allowed people to leave the land. It takes so much land to be an economically viable unit today," Swinburn said.
He also credits agricultural scientists for major changes in farm crops over the years. "We are having a revolution on the farm because of biotechnology, particularly developing seeds that are disease resistant and drought tolerant," Swinburn said.
No-Till Farming. Early in his career, Swinburn planted predominantly sorghum and wheat and some cotton. Now, the latter is his major crop. One of the newer practices Swinburn has incorporated is no-till farming. For example, during the unseasonably wet 2007 summer, when Swinburn's wheat was cut, the remainder was not tilled under. Instead, it was left in place, in part to help capture water and prevent soil erosion.
No-till farming also means tractors are in the field less, which reduces diesel consumption. Swinburn takes pride in showing that being a good steward of land and water resources and operating a successful commercial farm are not mutually exclusive.
Windstar Success. He also has achieved success with Windstar Inc., a cotton ginning and investment company. The business was started in the late 1970s when Swinburn and four neighbor farmers purchased a nearby cotton gin from its retiring owner. Today there are about two dozen share-holders in the privately held corporation.
"Back then we knew absolutely nothing about running a cotton gin," Swinburn said. "Eventually one of the partners took over managing the gin, and he has done a remarkable job."
Two New Gins. That early success allowed the working farmers to return their profits into the company, which today owns four gins and is part owner in two others. Windstar's investment division also has interests in banks and real estate, primarily in the Hill Country area.
In the last five years, Windstar has participated in with other investors and built two new gins in the Panhandle: Top of Texas Gin near Dawn, and Adobe Walls Gin near Spearman, an $8 million plant that opened in 2006.
True Calling. Swinburn was born in Memphis, Texas, and his parents bought farmland near each community they served as teachers. When he graduated from Tulia High School, Swinburn's father was the superintendent and his mother taught sixth grade. She also volunteered every summer in the library to read to children.
While attending Texas Tech, first as a history major, Swinburn worked on the family's land during the summers. He realized his junior year that his true calling was in agriculture. Today, Swinburn's fondness for his alma mater remains.
Deep Attachment. He and his wife Cheryl are active members of the Alumni Association and avid Red Raider sports fans. They hold season tickets for football and men's and women's basketball games. And, he currently serves on the Dean's Advisory Council for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
"I really do have a deep attachment to Texas Tech. When I look back at my experience, they did a lot of good for me. I didn't realize how positive the experience was for me until later in life," Swinburn said. "I learned a lot then, and I'd like for those who come after me to have the same opportunity."
Written by Laura Gutschke / Photography by Artie Limmer
Editor's Note: For a full version of this Lankmarks article, please see http://www.depts.ttu.edu/agriculturalsciences/Landmarks_2008/index.php
Davis College NewsCenter
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