Off of the farm and into the city

* Gary Cheyne reflects on his years growing potatoes and his new life selling insurance in Klamath Falls .

By Ryan Brown
Pioneer Press Staff Writer

Fort Jones , California

July 18, 2007

Page E-1

Pioneer Press photo by Ryan Brown
Gary Cheyne took his hard-working farm attitude with him from the ranch to the office. Although he misses farming, he says is new job is more rewarding.

KLAMATH FALLS - The Cheyne family is deeply rooted in the Klamath Basin .

Long ago several Cheyne's homesteaded some property in the Spring Lake area and started growing things.

Potatoes, cows and grain were the popular products back then, and things stayed that way for decades.

Gary Cheyne is one of four sons Leeland Cheyne had.

Leeland was big in the Klamath Basin 's agriculture community, contributing time and energy to help others while also running his own farm.

Gary got his start in the farming world early in life.

"I was helping at six years old," Gary said. "Moving lines, working with the cows, anything to help out."

Gary finished high school at Henley and got his first parcel of land in 1974.

"It was 11 acres," he said. "After that first year I was on top of the world."

After paying everything off Gary took his profits for the year and went out and bought a 1973 Ford pickup.

"It was red with a four-speed engine, and XL and I think it was $4,250," he added.

Gary continued to farm, buying up more land and expanding the farm operation.
By 1984 things were running smoothly.

He took what his father taught him and worked long days, usually from 5:30 a.m. until 9 at night.

"My dad taught me respect for our country, and for family. He was a hard-worker," he said.

"He had an amazing commitment to my grandmother. He taught me integrity and the value of hard work."

Gary married his wife Denise, whom he met in high school and they had two children, Jess and Tracey.

But in 1984-1985 the potato market went downhill fast.

"I think we could have made it through the tough times, but the bank didn't give us our usual loan," he said. "That ended things."

Gary had to sell everything just to support his family and he went back to working for his father.

Leeland passed away in 1989. It was tough on Gary and his brothers Lee, Jeff and Greg.
He continued to run his dad's farm until 1998 when he decided to try something        different.

"I was talking to John Edwards and he was an insurance agent with Country Companies," Gary said.

"I got my license and went to work under John, learning from him. He was an excellent mentor."

Edwards retired a couple years later and Gary was able to pick up some of his accounts.

"I needed to move away from farming," Gary said. "It was a scary change, going from one thing I had done my whole life into another area."

But selling home, life, farm and auto insurance for Country Insurance and Financial Services, (they changed their name from Country Companies in 2001) was a natural fit for Gary .

"I have been able to use my farming knowledge to help make sure my customers have sufficient coverage," Gary said.

"Nobody thinks they will have a fire or a loss, but people do. And when something happens, your lawyer or doctor can't write you a check and make things better, but we can."

Cheyne said he now works fewer hours. He gets to sleep in a little more and his weekends are generally free.

This allows him time to connect with his son Jess, who is attending Gonzaga University and interning for Jeld-Wen and Tracey, who is working in the Basin and might someday go into farming. Maybe.

"I told him the only way to get into farming is to either inherit it, or marry into it," Gary said. "It's too tough for the little guy to get started nowadays. The banks don't support you and there are too many big guys."

When asked about his switch from farming to business Gary said it's a sign of the times.
"I don't know of any farming family in the Basin who doesn't have at least one person working in town."

Gary Cheyne will continue to sell insurance and help people with their investments until he retires.

"It's rewarding work," he said. "To see someone get help in their time of need is very humbling. I have paid out a death benefit. And that made a huge difference for the family."

For the past seven years Gary has shared his office with Tom Keller.

"He's fun to be around," Gary said. "Although he sings too much. He thinks he's Elvis, and he's not even close."

Justin Pearlstein is another insurance agent who works with Gary in his office located at 5031 South 6th Street .

"Justin has such strong moral values, he just wants to help people. If someone calls with car trouble, boom, he's gone to help that very minute."

Still, farming is important to the Cheyne family.

"We love potatoes," he added. "Eat them all the time. And it's very important we don't become dependent on foreign countries for our nation's food."

Gary can be reached at his Country Insurance office, 541-884-1700.

"I love my job," he added. "I get to meet so many different people from all walks of life.
I miss working in the fields sometimes, but I'm glad I made the change."

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