Breck Faught and Treg Lindsey
Treg
Dad works for NRCS
Dad does farm loans
Papa was a farmer
She grew up showing
Liked that it was unique
July 20
Averye Ferris and Kaden Hicks
Kaden
4th gen farmer
wants to go back to the family farm
dad owns a feed yard in Hereford
"I grew up working in the feed yard riding the pens working cattle, so growing up like that then going out there and being surrounded by the farmland and cattle, i think there are horses and sheep across the road i just fell in love
"my dads a cowboy"
"it was a more unique venue"
Being out there I felt at peace
Felt like home
June 29, 2019
Kitalou
Agriculture Education
The location of the gin helps start conversations
Animals and farms surround the gin
"Were out here telling the story of conventional West Texas agriculture," Lauren.
"If we're not telling the story then who is," Shelley
"Just getting people out and showing them agriculture," Shelley.
Day of event
I will have a photo or two of a wedding.
First event
Bride and groom came to Lauren and Shelley asking if they were considering turing the gin into a wedding venue.
Bride and room are within the cotton industry
This validated that the gin was a good idea for Lauren and Shelley.
Gave Lauren and Shelley a timeline.
"We needed that timeline because honestly, it was overwhelming the stuff that had to come out of here," Shelley.
"We sat down with the whole family and made a promise to have this place done by October," Shelley
"From then on every weekend, every evening we were out here cleaning," Shelley
"When we started our only goal was getting the bride down the aisle and after that we figured the rest out," Lauren.
Family run, only one staff member who is a "second son" to Shelley.
"We all have our jobs and it runs smooth," Shelley.
"We take the burden off of the families backs and handle everything so they can sit back relax and enjoy the day," Lauren
"We call them our family," Lauren.
"we focus on customer service a lot, who else runs across town for a marriage license left at a church?" Shelley
Built in 1925 right outside of Idaou, TX.
Tried to keep as much of the original building as possible.
"One challenge was when we would find cool stuff, we would want to keep it, but we didn't know what to do with it?" Lauren
It is a kit gin, like ready built houses. Kitalou's sister gin was out at Reece Airforce Base.
The kit gins were sold like kit houses, you picked it out from Sears and it was delivered by railroad.
Railroad ran right outside of the gin.
Hail storm in Oct. 2018
The Heinrichs were cleaning at the gin when the big storm came though.
Shelley, "The buildings been here for about 100 years, why would I not stay here!"
Kitalou is believed to have been
named after a railroaders daughter.
Her sister was possibly Idalou.
Mom and daughter team
"We work well together," Shelley
They can each relate to their customers, Lauren was recently a bride and can understand their needs while Shelley understands the mothers.
They can each help with creating the vision of the bride and mom.
Helps bring perspective and problem solving
"One of us can walk into a room and read the other person without making a big deal out of it," Lauren.
"We both think the same, but put our own little twist on things," Lauren.
"We're not only a good mother daughter team, but good partners," Shelley.
Will include a photo of the two in the gin.
Shelley Heinrich
Worked in finance
'Retired' in 2011
Went to work for National Sorghum
Now works for the cotton board
Shelley was a development director and planned a lot of events and fundraisers which has helped in wedding planning.
Lauren Heinrich
Studies agricultural communications at a school which shall not be named.
Worked for Texas Cattle Feeders Association
Then worked for a local congressman
Restored a historic agriculture landmark.
As agriculture continues to progress Kitalou will become more important to preserve.
The family salvaged as much as possible
I will include a photo of the architecture.
"Coming from an ag family and having tractors and equipment we wanted to do as much of the work as we could ourselves," Lauren.
"We've got the equipment and the gumption to do it, so we're just going to get out there and get it done," Lauren.
"The main objective, what was consistent is that we wanted to preserve the integrity and authenticity of the gin," Lauren.
Took 9 months and 80 loads of trash to clean the gin
"We were cleaning on it up until the night of the first wedding," Lauren.
