Lamb County cotton ginner wins national, state award

SPADE, Texas (KCBD) - A cotton ginner from Lamb County is now holding national and state awards for his work after ginning 41 cotton crops throughout his career.

“Cotton is in our blood. It’s in our family,” award winner Curtis Stewart said.

In the small town of Spade in Lamb County, you’ll find the Spade Co-Op Gin. The general manager, Stewart, was just surprised with two awards. He says he had help to get there.

“So, I’m really proud of the people of Spade and the other organizations that I’ve been associated with,” Stewart said. “It’s their award, too.”

Stewart was named the 2022 National Ginner of the Year from the Cotton Council and the Cooperative Ginner of the Year from the Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council.

His ginning career started right after college.

“I started as a trainee with the local co-ops after graduating college, and then it just gets in your blood,” Stewart said.

Over the years, through all the ups and downs, he’s ginned 41 crops. He’s even worked alongside previous award winners.

“I’ve worked for a national ginner before in Arkansas,” Stewart said. “It’s humbling to join that group.”

Stewart had no idea he was receiving two awards within the last couple of months.

“It was secret. My wife kept it from - she kept both of those from last Halloween until they announced them,” Stewart said. “So, things were kind of tense around our house for a little while.”

Now that he holds them both, it’s an unreal feeling for Stewart.

“To get both of them is very humbling in one year,” Stewart said.

Stewart says there are 500 gins across America the council could pick an employee from for the national award. He says he’s grateful for it to be him and the South Plains on that list.

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