NASGA takes a tour of Poteet Strawberry Farms




NASGA takes a tour of four Poteet Strawberry Farms in Poteet. NASGA is pictured at Sanchez Farm in Poteet. NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

NASGA takes a tour of four Poteet Strawberry Farms in Poteet. NASGA is pictured at Sanchez Farm in Poteet. NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

The Poteet Strawberry Festival, held this year April 3-5, would not be possible without the local berry growers. Only those who have the experience and knowledge of what strawberry crops need can care for them until it’s their time to shine. Since the first official festival in 1948, the festival growers have been cultivating the art of producing some of the finest berries in the United States. Poteet’s award-winning growers are truly “celebrities” attracting international and national tourists from Russia, India, Israel, United Kingdom, China, Germany, Canada and more. Thousands of “pickers” show up annually to pluck ripe sweet berries from the town who has earned the title, “Strawberry Capital of Texas.”

Recently, the growers were put in the spotlight on a tour of four strawberry farms by the North American Strawberry Growers Association (NASGA). NASGA arrived in Poteet in two huge tour buses. Dale Rankin, Atascosa County Extension Agent served as organizer and host of the tour which made stops at KH Farm, Sanchez Farms, Five Cousins and Poteet Country Winery.

Five Cousins Farm. Tess Chandler, Hannah Chandler, Hallie Bates, Will Bates, Jacob Bates and Caleb Bates. NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Five Cousins Farm. Tess Chandler, Hannah Chandler, Hallie Bates, Will Bates, Jacob Bates and Caleb Bates. NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

“There were several things that impressed me about the farms visited and the growers we met,” said Kevin Schooley, Executive Director, NASGA. “I was very impressed with the equipment sharing that took place between growers and the investment the Strawberry Festival has made to support its grower members. The plantings all looked strong and healthy showing great harvest potential in the coming months. We are always thankful to growers who take time out of their busy schedules to host us on our farm tours. The Poteet growers were very willing to share their successes and challenges with the group and answer any questions that we had for them.”

The NASGA group heard earlier in the week from Carlos Torres, President, Poteet Strawberry Festival Association, at their annual convention in San Antonio.

First stop on the tour was to 2019 Poteet Strawberry Growers of the Year Vance and Ruth Ann Schultze. Their farm, located at 200 W. Tank Hollow Rd., Poteet, is named after Ruth’s late father, Kenneth Hoffmann who passed away in 2016. In March 2019, KH Farm hosted their third pickyour own season opener event, which brings out many visitors. The event features children’s activities and food vendors. Ruth Ann and Vance love how their farm offers the community and surrounding area a chance to take home good memories.

Leonard Sanchez, Sanchez Farms and Dale Rankin, Atascosa County Extension Agent, discuss the fine points of strawberry growing. NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Leonard Sanchez, Sanchez Farms and Dale Rankin, Atascosa County Extension Agent, discuss the fine points of strawberry growing. NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

The second stop was the Sanchez Farm. Leonard Sanchez, Jr., was the Poteet Rotary Club’s Grower of the Year for 2018. He was the 70th Poteet Strawberry Festival Grand Champion winner. His winning crate of Albion berries brought $16,050 at the festival auction breaking the previous year’s record of $15,000. A third-generation strawberry grower, Sanchez follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, Antonio Sanchez, and his father, Leonard Sanchez Sr. In fact, his father, Leonard Sanchez Sr., won the Grand Champion in 1962 when Sanchez Jr. was just three and a half months old.

Jim Collums, Poteet Country Winery, talks about strawberries and Poteet Strawberry Festival history NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Jim Collums, Poteet Country Winery, talks about strawberries and Poteet Strawberry Festival history NOEL WILKERSON HOLMES | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Sanchez was peppered with questions from the crowd about growing tips and techniques and how to get rid of pests. Sanchez generously shared what has and has not worked for their farm over the years. The most asked question was how to rid plants from pests. During the tour numerous growers gave credit to the Medina Agriculture Products founded in 1962 in Hondo. Special shout outs were given especially to Medina’s two products Hastagro and Liquid Seaweed that work to keep plants in their healthiest state.

Next stop was Five Cousins, a u-pick farm where Will Bates, former Poteet ISD Ag teacher, says he serves as landlord along with his wife, Ann, while his grandchildren who make up the five cousins, do the work.

“We’re a very small operation,” said Bates to the crowd. “Our claim to fame is that this is like a big 4-H project for us. It’s run by and taken care of by my grandchildren. Their grandmother and I are the landlords and the heavy equipment operators. We give some advice, but these kids provide the labor and a lot of the management decisions that go into this place.” Bates gave the history of the farm which started when his granddaughter Hallie was nine years old and wanted a show pig for her 4-H project. He said the answer would be yes, but on one condition that she help plant strawberries, too. They put in about 2,000 plants their first year. Soon it became the three cousins when Hannah and Tess joined. It became the Five Cousins when Jacob and Caleb jumped on board. The five children planted 15,000 plants in two days this season.

The Five Cousins won Grand Champion Berry in April 2018. “That was a very lucrative experience,” said Bates. “This money goes into their college funds, although we encourage them to spend a little bit on themselves.”

A grower asked the cousins what was their favorite thing about growing strawberries. “I feel in this day and time there are not a lot of kids that get to have this opportunity,” said Hannah, freshman, homeschooled. “Whereas a long time ago kids did this all the time. This was their life. This was their everything. And now we get to have this experience and still live in this modern world. And I think that is super special, to me.”

“I am so blessed to have an awesome grandpa,” said Hallie, freshman, homeschooled. “And to be able to do this with our family, it’s super fun. We sing a lot, so we get to bond while we’re doing this work and it pays off. It’s really awesome to see. But I think my favorite part of it is I love getting to meet people. So, I’m so stoked to meet all of y’all. Thank you for coming. We are super small, but it is super special you are here today.”

The five cousins’ favorite song to sing while they work is called Psalms 46. “It’s about, the Lord of hosts,” said Hallie. “Everything we’ve done, or if we had a banner year, we owe it all to the Lord. I think that’s a big part of it for us. That’s where our true hope is. And so, we’re so thankful for that.” Hallie stated that after high school she wants to be a missionary and study agriculture and horticulture, hopefully, at A&M.

“I just want to say, honestly, there’s no place like Grand mom and Daddo’s because they’re family and all the fun that we get to have together is just golden,” said Tess, 6th grader, home schooled. “There’s nothing that I would rather do except for this. And it’s just really fun and a great opportunity.”

The last stop was made at Poteet Country Winery owned and operated by Jim Collums. Collums told the crowd the story about how the Strawberry Festival moved to its current location. He said that the Lions Club was re-chartered in 1968, and they built a new rodeo arena, first on private property, and then later, after making enough money, it was moved to Highway 16.

Collums, who was president of the Lions Club for 15 years, had, along with others, the idea to move the festival from downtown to Highway 16. “So, we went to all the organizations that had something downtown and talked them into putting up $50,” explained Collums. “There were seven organizations at the time, along with Jaycees that held a Chili Cook-Off. An agreement was made with the property owners, with it leased the first year. If it went through, they would convert that into a contract to sell.” He shared how the seven organizations opened up a bank account with $350, all signing and pledging money to borrow the money necessary.

Collums has stated that even if he won the Lotto, he would still grow berries until the money ran out. The guests were treated to Strawberry wine and Strawberry tea made at Poteet Country Winery.

The North American Strawberry Growers Association (NASGA) was organized in 1977 and incorporated as a nonprofit corporation by progressive strawberry growers and leading small fruit researchers. Today NASGA represents more than 250 members in 40 states, 10 provinces of Canada and 15 countries. NASGA continues to be a grower-based association strongly rooted in the original philosophy that ongoing research will provide knowledge to strengthen and improve strawberry production and marketing.

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