Fred & Mary Genevet

"The chances of the hydraulic motor failing are very slim as compared to an electric motor."

T-L Helps High Desert Dealer Make A Big Splash

Product quality, service, maintenance programs, reputation, and T-L Support have this family’s Oregon dealership going strong in their community.

T-L Irrigation pivots may seem to sell themselves, but Fred and Mary Genevet know it’s their reputation and the work they put in before and after a sale that earns them respect and success with their customers.

“Our business is our reputation. We became T-L dealers over any other brand because we liked the design and were convinced of the efficiency, reliability, and quality of the systems,” Genevet says. “These are our neighbors and our friends. We’re here to serve them and make life simpler. It’s one of the reasons we love T-L. It helps us help farmers.”

The Genevets own God’s Country Welding & Irrigation, LLC., serving high desert farming customers in Central Oregon. Farmers in the region are increasingly moving from flood, hand lines, and wheel lines to pivot and linear irrigation. Driven by limited labor and water, farmers are looking to be more efficient in their irrigation systems.

As those customers start to shop around for systems, the Genevets step up with more than just a quote. When Robert and Natalie Silva purchased their ranch near Prineville, most of the farm ground was irrigated by handline with just one aging electric pivot.

“Our first goal was to put in more pivots to maximize our own labor and that of our employee. We also wanted to be as efficient with our water as we can be in general,” Robert says. They opted for two T-L Irrigation pivots, in part due to the Genevets’ dedication to their project.

Long before they pulled the trigger to go with a T-L, Genevet put in many hours designing a system and layout that would work best in their situation. The design included installing an underground pipe to replace a ditch that bisected two fields. This eliminated hours spent navigating around the ditch with equipment and allowed them to farm those acres—which also eliminated a weed seed source.

“Fred made sure we could make everything work the way we wanted without any promise of purchase. A lot of companies don’t want to put that sort of time in before they know they’ll get a return. Fred never blinked an eye,” Silva says.

The Genevets also heavily promote maintenance programs. Though the systems are tough and will often run even when they could use some attention, Genevet believes prevention through maintenance saves time and money in the long run for both himself and his customers.

“With some basic maintenance each year I can protect my customers from downtime. I can see things that will need replacing and take care of them in the offseason instead of during the growing season when I’m busy, the farmer is busy, and all of a sudden, it’s an emergency,” he says.

A pivot may continue to get the job done year after year without maintenance, however producers may start to notice small issues, like oil leaks.

“A machine that leaks is a machine that isn’t maintained properly,” he says. “Oil leaks don’t happen all at once. They start with a tiny leak at a seal that costs $3 and takes 5 minutes for me to replace. If we address them right away, they’re no problem.”

Though the Genevets are quick to respond to the field when a customer needs them, they like that the intentionally simple design of T-L systems often means they don’t have to make the trip for a fix.

“They’re easy to work on,” Genevet says. “I can troubleshoot over the phone, often resulting in the producers being able to quickly make a repair themselves.”

Winning Design

The Genevets and their customers make it clear that the quality construction and unique features of T-L Irrigation systems are what drew them to the product.

“I can’t say enough about the T-L machine. I’m very impressed,” says Dean Knieling who uses a ¼-mile T-L Irrigation linear system to irrigate 65 acres of grass and alfalfa hay. “The chances of the hydraulic motor failing are very slim as compared to an electric motor. I also like that they have a lot of safety systems that will shut down the machine if there’s a problem. Anything that big that moves unattended is a concern.”

The continuous movement of the hydrostatic drives delivers even, reliable irrigation without the expense and danger of high-voltage electricity. There are options from the simplest “cowboy” pivot to high-tech pivots and linears that allow for remote operation and precision water application. There’s something for every need.

“In one pass, the T-L linear saves me 20 manhours. Not only is that a big labor savings, but the system is just so much more efficient. I use 30% less water. That’s huge, especially when you’re not always getting the amount of water you need,” Knieling says.

And they just work…and work…and work. As a welder, Genevet regularly sees the difference in overall quality construction T-L systems bring to the field.

“I weld on a lot of electric machines that crashed or are rusted out. I haven’t welded on a lot of T-L systems, even older ones, because they’re sturdy and well built.”

When Genevet does need help with the design or troubleshooting a system, he knows he can call T-L Irrigation headquarters in Hastings, Nebraska, and get an answer quickly.

“T-L provides excellent technical support. They’ve always been there for us when we’ve had any questions or concerns or for troubleshooting in the field,” he says. The Genevets and their customers also like that the products are American made by a family-run business.

“It’s a human scale; run by people we can relate to. I can’t imagine doing this work without their support. Someone always answers when I call.”

In recent years, the Genevets have shifted more of their focus from their mobile welding service to selling and servicing irrigation pivots. The move has resulted in rapid business growth. God’s Country Welding & Irrigation even earned the T-L Oustanding Sales Achievement Award in 2024.

“Besides our established relationships with customers, we also credit this growth to our T-L district sales manager, Michael Short,” Mary says. “He’s been a huge advocate and has really put in the effort to support us and other T-L dealers on the West Coast. He’s empowered us to reach our goals and beyond.”