Watch the Redmond family's story and see what #ArmorStrong really means.

Around 12:30 a.m. on April 3, Landon Redmon’s wife, Emily, woke him up as the rain grew louder outside. She had never been a fan of storms, but this one felt different. She wanted to head to Landon’s parents’ house, where they had a basement rather than the storm shelter on their own property.

Landon got up and looked out the window. It didn't look good. He called his brother, Tyler, who lives next door with his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughters. The brothers talked and decided to go.  

It was hailing so hard that Landon could barely see as he drove.   

“About halfway to my parents’ farm, it just quit — quit raining, quit hailing,” says Landon. “The road was dry, and I knew that was probably a bad sign.”   

Rooted in family  

Landon and Tyler grew up farming with their dad, Barry Redmon. It was Barry’s dad who started buying land. He bought his first 100 acres in Selmer, Tennessee, for $7,500 along with a F-100 Ford pickup. Barry still farms and lives on that property.   

Today, the Redmons farm about 2,500 acres of corn, soybeans and, occasionally, wheat. They stay busy doing “a little bit of everything.” They spread lime and haul fertilizer. They also do excavation work — clearing land and building lakes.  

“It helps keep us diversified,” Landon says. “When farming is in a downward turn, it helps keep the lights on, and it keeps us busy all the time.” 

The brothers are just two years apart and very close, though Landon admits they didn’t always get along growing up.  

“Now that we’re older, we’ve got the same goals and drive — it helps a lot.”  

On the farm, Tyler handles most of the planting while Landon does the spraying. Come harvest, Tyler runs the combine, and Landon drives the grain cart and hauls.  

“We’re pretty much together 24/7,” Landon says. “We make all the decisions between each other and do every bit of the work. We've got a great relationship that a lot of people probably wish they had with their siblings. I don't take that for granted.” 

Outside of farming, the brothers’ lives are just as intertwined. Their wives teach at the same school, and the families live just a stone’s throw apart, even sharing a driveway. When they aren’t working, the entire family is active in the community.  

Over the years, they’ve made a point of giving back when they can, donating time and labor to help their local church clear lots and make way for expansions. When a tornado hit one of the campuses in 2023, the Redmons helped clear the damaged building and prepare for a rebuild. At the time, they didn’t know the favor would be returned.  

Hitting home    

As Landon drove towards his parents’ farm that April night, the sky started lighting up green and blue from exploding transformers. He pulled in, dropped everyone off and went to park his truck. 
 
“I’ll never forget when I left the shop,” Landon says. “I was facing the house, and all the exterior lights were on. I thought to myself, ‘This is the last time I’ll ever see that house,’ and then the lights went out.”  

Landon made his way back to the house and found Tyler standing outside. The rain had stopped, and the wind was calm. In the distance, they could see lights — maybe car lights, they thought — slowly spinning.  

Tyler turned to Landon and said, “It’s coming this way.”  

That night, an EF-3 tornado, with winds up to 160 mph, hit the community of Selmer. The damage was immense. The Redmon family sheltered in the basement as the tornado passed over them.  

“Afterward, we walked outside; and, even though it was dark, we could tell our grain bins were gone,” says Landon. “We turned around and looked at the house. Half the roof was missing, and we could see where the living room had been. That was tough.” 

The farm was a near total loss. The grain bins, three of their four shops and their parents’ house were destroyed. The equipment and trucks were damaged. Thankfully, everyone was safe.  

Rebuilding together  

The next morning, Keith Saum, a seed district sales manager with WinField® United, knew he needed to help any way he could. He’s known the Redmon family since 1998, when he was working at the local co-op. They’ve remained close over the years, and, to this day, Keith says he’d answer their phone calls any time of day or night.  

“I knew what path the tornado took, and I knew they were close,” says Keith. “Cell phone reception was not good, so I went to the co-op to see what I could do to help. They mentioned the Redmon’s farm, so I went by to see what I could do. Barry and I are close, so I spoke to him a little bit and hugged him. They were just grateful they were alive.” 

According to Lance Carter, an agronomy specialist with United Co-op in Selmer, the damage was devastating. But he says if that community does anything well, it’s pulling together during times of adversity. The local ag center opened to provide disaster relief and supplies, the co-op donated items and the church cooked meals.  

“Everybody knew we had to get it done, so we all pitched together and did it,” Lance says.   

When it comes to the Redmon brothers, Lance’s relationship runs deep. He started at a co-op right after college, just as Tyler and Landon were beginning their farming careers. As Landon tells it, they’ve grown up together in this business.  

Today, as the Redmons’ Armor® Seed retailer, Lance helps with seed decisions, gives agronomic advice and helps increase their ROI potential.  

“We’re always trying to learn from the past year and plan what we need to be doing next year to be better,” Lance adds.  

Lance also has a close working relationship with Keith.  

“Lance interned for me at the co-op,” says Keith. “Now, he has the role I once had, and he takes care of the Redmons much like I took care of them.” 

As dedicated customers, Keith says the Redmons understand the value in the co-op system. “I’d have to get the exact quote, but Landon said it best. In short, ‘It’s not hard to make up for price differences when you have people that will take care of you like this.’” 

That spirit of dependability is what defines the Armor team. They show up and stand by their growers when it matters most. So when Landon needed help in the aftermath of the storm, he knew exactly who to call. 

Heavy rains followed in the weeks after the tornado. The Redmons were trying to plant during a small window of opportunity, but one of their fields was still covered in debris. And more rain was coming.  

“I called Lance, and he brought his boss and four or five other people from the co-op,” says Landon. “They picked up that field by hand in 100-degree weather so I could plant.”  

They weren’t the only ones. Numerous folks stepped up to help, offering trucks, equipment and their time. Thanks to the community’s generosity, the farm is almost back to normal operations.  

“We had a tremendous amount of support from our local community,” Landon says. “The amount of support you have, you never really see that day-to-day — but it shows up when something like that happens.”