Local farming legend Helen Sullivan Agriculturist of the year for 2015

This year’s 21st Annual Jack Stone Kings County Salute to Ag Banquet will be held on Friday, September 11 at the Fialho Family Hanger, located at 7414 18thAvenue, Lemoore. A hosted social begins at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the program at 8 p.m. Tickets are $75 each or $475 for a table of 8. Tickets can be purchased at the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce or by calling 924-6401.

Joining Sullivan as an honoree will be the Hanford law firm of Kahn, Soares & Conway, named as this year’s Agricultural Supporters of the Year. The law firm has been instrumental in representing agriculture, from countless family farms and large commercial operations to every layer of the agricultural community.

Sullivan was born and raised in Hanford and grew up on the farm and was immersed in the industry her whole life. Her paternal grandparents arrived in the area from Portugal and her maternal grandparents arrived from Croatia.

“She is one of the strongest people I know,” said Carolina Evangelo, board director for Kings County Farm Bureau. “Her ability to stand out as a leader in a male-dominant field amazes me. She is business savvy, witty, and utmost, a very good friend.”

After some convincing, Helen and her late husband Patrick took over her parent’s farm and began farming in 1982. Although the Sullivan’s farmed full-time, Patrick wasn’t always on board.

“My husband was not a farm kid,” Helen said. “He was not raised on a farm. He was raised in town and it took me a while to weasel him into taking over the farm.”

At the time, Helen worked as a credential analyst in the Kings County Office of Education, where she worked for over 20 years, and when finished with her day job would sit at the kitchen table at night and do the farm books.

“The best day of my life was when I could plug all the information in the computer and it would print 50 checks for me and I didn’t have to write everything out by hand,” Helen said. “It’s amazing how far technology has helped agriculture advance in every aspect from water to farming, and accounting.”

After the death of her husband, the love she had for farming kept her in the family business. With the help of her farm manager, Dennis Sargent, and long-time employee, Manuel Espinoza, Sullivan Farming has continued to thrive.

Today, Helen is beginning to transition the family responsibilities of the business to her two daughters, Laceyanne and Katie, both of which still live on the farm.

Oldest daughter, Laceyanne, works for WinField Solutions, an agronomy branch of Land O’ Lakes. Younger daughter Katie is a teacher’s aide, and will be a special education teacher at Lemoore High School in the fall.

“They both love the farm,” Helen said. “They wouldn’t know what to do if they had to leave.”

Having been involved in farming for most of her life, Helen’s advice to young agriculturalists looking to get into farming is to make sure it is something you love.

“It’s not always easy,” Helen said. “And it doesn’t always go right. But, when that happens, then you’ve got to be able to look at it and say, ‘but I still love doing it so I will continue.”

And while love and passion are a must, support from others is also the key to success.

“You’ve got to have the support of good people,” Helen said. “There isn’t enough I can say about the people who work with me. I say they work with me, not for me. It’s our farm, it’s not just mine.”

An avid reader, Helen also enjoys traveling when not working or volunteering. Aside from being a Board Director for the Kings County Farm Bureau, she serves on the board for the PLANT Foundation and a member of Citizens for California High Speed Rail Accountability (CCHSRA) and the Burris Park Foundation.