Innovating, While Caring For Community, Local Agriculture, and Feeding/Clothing Kansas Families.
It’s 7:30pm; Darrin Eck, his partner in crime Beth Covington, DVM, and the kids – Peyton, Nathan, and Sophia - just sat down together for dinner. There are still chores to finish and more farming to be done. But this tradition of making time to eat together (even if it’s doing so in the field), to discuss the events of the day, and to make a plan for the next, is more important. At Eck Agriculture, located just west of Kingman, KS, family comes first. Community (their extended family) ranks right up there, too.
Long, hard days in agriculture are not new to them. It’s been a way of life since Darrin’s
great-grandparents purchased land near St. Leo in 1922. They raised six children on the
farm they built; his grandparents raised eleven children, including his dad, Clint Eck,
at the same homeplace. It was on this farm that Clint, like those before him, learned the
importance of family, of being a good neighbor, and of respecting the animals and land
providing for their family and community. These remain the driving principles behind
the operation as Darrin runs it today. Darrin accompanied his dad everywhere as a young boy, learning the ins and outs of farming. In doing so, he not only inherited Clint’s work ethic and integrity, but also his entrepreneurial spirit. Until Clint’s passing, Darrin worked alongside his best friend and mentor, as together they operated Hay Grinderman, a business
dedicated to helping local farmers feed their cattle. Now, Darrin continues the legacy, imparting these lessons and values to his children as they work alongside him.
Clint taught Darrin to take care of your farming neighbors, and that’s just what he did when starting Eck Ag Chemical and Fertilizer. This business provides fair chemical pricing, ensures the availability of needed chemical, and allows the community to witness firsthand benefits from products that they utilize on their own farm ground. By increasing farming acres and cattle herd sizes, even more members of their local community and communities at large are being served today. Their non-GMO alfalfa hay is sold to local farms, as well as dairies, exotic animal farms, and horse operations around the country to help feed their animals. In 2017, cotton was added into the crop rotation and cotton produced on Eck Ag’s ground goes directly to textile manufacturers for products we all know and use.
Now for the cattle - Beth’s area of passion and focus. As a veterinarian, she is responsible for herd health practices and for guaranteeing a good quality of life for these animals. Eck Agriculture raises cow/calf pairs and bred heifers to help ranchers build their herds and diversify herd genetics. When COVID-19 hit, high prices and beef scarcity struck, too. They met that need by expanding their butcher beef operation to offer superior quality, Red
Angus beef to not just their friends and family, but to anyone in the state. With options of quarters, halves, or whole beefs (all cut to your specifications), plus individual cuts and grill ‘n chill kits available, they put food on their table and yours.
“Days are long and dinner is often late at Eck Agriculture. But knowing that we are providing for our family, for our community, and for generations to come makes it all worthwhile,” says Darrin. Contact them to learn more about the community products and services provided, or come visit their family farm & like them on FaceBook!