South Tex Organics: Providing the nation with organically grown fruit

MISSION — It’s a new harvest season for citrus farmers, but one grower has orchards filled with oranges, grapefruit and lemons that have been grown without the help of chemicals and pesticides for the last 25 years.

South Tex Organics was established in 1984 and is one of the largest organic growers in Texas. The family-owned business has over 500 acres of U.S. Department of Agriculture certified Texas Rio Star grapefruit, several varieties of oranges, Meyer lemons and red and yellow onions and watermelons.

The company has come a long way. Owner Dennis Holbrook said though it was a struggle to gain an understanding of how to work in harmony with nature to grow fruits and vegetables, he helped pave the way for other organic farmers in the Valley.

“In an essence we helped build a trail to allow other people to see what we were doing and had been able to accomplish. We have opened opportunities to farmers to go in that direction as well,” said Holbrook. “I think we have been a contributor to the organic part of the industry.”

Learning how to grow without the use of pesticides and special fertilizers has been a task, but proven to be successful.

“Many people don’t realize the difficult aspects to produce organic products with just trying to use Mother Nature as a companion in the effort,” Holbrook said. “Conventional growers try to manipulate Mother Nature. So, they kind of make things work the way they want by using systemic pesticides and fertilizers, et cetera.”

In the organic operation, Holbrook said, the farmer and nature have to co-exist by creating environments that will attract beneficial insects to the fruit that will do all the work, instead of pesticides.

“You always have to deal with weather conditions. Those conditions have a great impact on what insect problems occur. We have had our share of set-backs, pests and disease problems,” said Holbrook. “We have had to learn what we need to do to control those or prevent them. The main thing in organic is to anticipate what is forthcoming and fortify the plants to withstand the onset of any problems.”

This hard work and effort is what makes South Tex Organics fruit special and great tasting, he added.

There have been a number of studies that have shown that organic fruit and vegetables are richer in vitamin C and other nutrients compared to conventional growing. A Washington organic apple study, done by Washington State University in 2001, proved organics to produce sweeter and more profitable fruit. The six-year study proved that not using pesticides or controlled substances was beneficial to the soil and the environment. The apples were sweeter, and the apple trees were stronger and more efficient, compared to conventional growing.

“The fruit and vegetables got more flavor, higher sugars and content,” said Holbrook. “Those are things that we think are advantages to growing organically.”

Proving he is a great believer in the benefits of organic farming, Holbrook is involved in many organizations, and was the founding member of the Texas Organic Growers Association. He has also been a member and served on the boards for several other state organic organizations. Locally, he’s on the board of Texas Citrus Mutual and TexaSweet.

His wife, Lynda Holbrook, is also a part of the company taking charge of the mail order portion of the company through homes and gift orders. She said that the mail order business came as a result of customers being unable to find their brand produce in their own grocery stores.

“The first call I ever got was from a patient who had cancer, who had orders from her doctor, to stick to a strict organic diet,” said Lynda Holbrook. “She called us to see if we could ship her certified organic produce.”

The company now ships produce to thousands of homes and businesses all over the nation. South Tex Organics is now revamping their website for mail order business and adding a juicing plant to help deliver their juice products. The company is also in talks overseas to start a citrus market in the European Union.

“We distribute to almost every state in the U.S. and Canada, and (we are) working with a business in France to start testing and developing a market there,” said Holbrook. “Our distribution is sufficient enough to allow us to be quite diversified across all kinds of markets.”

South Tex Organics is expected to evolve and expand; Holbrook said he plans to deliver all natural-grown fruit and vegetables to the Rio Grande Valley for years to come.

“I’m pleased we have been successful financially and been able to stay in business for the last 25 years. Starting organic production or learning about it, I had a lot of doubters say that it couldn’t be done or that it wouldn’t be successful,” said Holbrook. “There wasn’t a lot of positive encouragement to pursue this type of agriculture. But I was convinced and determined to do whatever it would take to make it successful.”

H1N1 Clinics avilable

RIO GRANDE VALLEY - Hidalgo county is providing H1N1 vaccines to folks for the next two weeks.

The vaccines are available at county clinic locations. They are open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm.

The following are clinic locations and phone numbers where the vaccine will be available.

Edinburg Clinic at 3105 E. Richardson, 318-2040.

Elsa Clinic at 708 Edinburg St, 262-1141.

Hidalgo Clinic at 702 E Texano, 843-7463.

McAllen Clinic at 300 E Hackberry, 682-6155.

Mission Clinic at 211 S Schuerbach Rd, 585-2461.

Pharr Clinic at 1903 N Fir, 787-1531.

Weslaco Clinic at 1901 N Bridge, 969-8332

H1N1 vaccines in Cameron County are going fast. There are about two thousand doses left in stock from a shipment that came in a week ago. The county is holding all day clinics at the San Benito Annex Building during business hours.

Officials are administering the flu shot or mist to those in target groups like children and pregnant women. They will be holding the clinic until they run out of the vaccine. Health workers expect to receive another batch soon.

Mission group robs, takes squad car

MISSION — After leading Mission police on a chase in a squad car and finding refuge by hiding under a bed, the man involved in a robbery here had his bond set at over $1 million following his arrest, police said.

Nineteen-year-old Angel Garza’s two accomplices also received high bonds, over $1 million, police said. They were charged with multiple counts of aggravated robbery, theft, evading arrest and possession of marijuana.

A female homeowner was hit with a crow bar in the incident, police said. When officers arrived at the home, two women were found bound lying on the living room floor. One of the victims used a baseball bat to hit Garza on the head, they added.

The trio approached a home on Abraham Street around 1:30 a.m. asking to use a telephone before ambushing the resident who opened the door, said Mission police spokesman Sgt. Jody Tittle.

When police arrived, two of the men David Acosta, 20, and Rigoberto Ramirez, 23, were still at the home when Garza took off in the vehicle the group arrived in. The two men left on foot as police arrived at the scene, Tittle said.

According to an affidavit provided by Mission police, Garza drove to Business 83 and Los Ebanos Road where he abandoned his vehicle and led police on a foot chase. He rushed back to where his car remained along with Mission squad cars when he entered an unlocked marked unit that was operated by an officer who participated in the foot chase.

Garza drove the car two blocks from his residence as a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter monitored his location, the document states.

Garza’s mother, Irene, when approached by officers in her home on Sol Dorado Street, said only her daughter was in the house. But as officers checked the home, they found Garza hiding under a bed. Tittle said his mother was charged with hindering apprehension.

The other two men were also found in their homes. According to the affidavit, Acosta was hiding in a bedroom closet.

During home searches, police said they found marijuana at the homes of Acosta and Garza. Police also recovered many stolen items from the home on Abraham Street in the vehicle Garza was driving.

Tree Lighting Ceremony

While Santa Claus and mariachis may seem a strange mix, it’s the South Texas way to greet the Christmas season.

The Veterans Memorial High School mariachi, Mission Parks & Recreation Folkloric Dancers and the Valley Community Choir will all join Santa in the City of Mission’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony Thursday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. The event is free to the public and will be held at Leo Pena Plazita Park in downtown Mission, across from H-E-B.

Also performing will be the McAllen Memorial Folkloric Dancers and the El Valle Cloggers.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department has been hard at work assisting as Santa’s helpers, putting up thousands of lights covering the grounds of the Plazita.

Dias Festivos opens this weekend

A Valley holiday shopping tradition for 23 years, the Junior League of McAllen is putting on their Dias Festivos Marketplace 2009 this weekend. Their annual extravaganza with a theme this year of “Christmas Around the World” will be held today through Sunday at the McAllen Convention Centre and proceeds benefit League charities.

Marketplace hours will be noon to 6 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Entrance is $5 per person, ages 13 and up; 12 and under get in free.

In addition to the marketplace being open for shopping all three days, a variety of special events are planned. Friday, Dec. 4, “A Global Affair” is on the itinerary with a 7 to 11 p.m. gala and auction to be held at the home of Ramon Garcia in McAllen. The attire is formal. Tickets are still available at $75 per person and can be purchased by calling the League office at 682-0071 or on their website at HYPERLINK "http://www.JuniorLeagueMcAllen.org" www.JuniorLeagueMcAllen.org.

Children can have their pictures taken with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 5, and different musical groups will be performing throughout the day on Sunday, Dec. 6. Approximately 100 vendors will offer gifts, toys, apparel, jewelry, artwork, and gourmet food throughout the three-day event.

Dias Festivos Chairperson Renee Toombs noted she was thrilled to be involved in providing a holiday event of this type, but is most excited about its impact as a fundraising endeavor.

“We love that an expected 7,000 people will come out to have fun during Dias Festivos, but we are ecstatic to offer each person the opportunity to shop for a cause,” said Toombs.

Many community programs or projects have been supported and, in some cases, established by Leaguers: the International Museum of Art & Science, McAllen Library, Rio Grande Children’s Home, McAllen Child Clinic, RioScape Science Play Park, Quinta Mazatlan’s Glass House, and Teen Court.

Kristy Ochoa, League president, noted the organization’s 70-year history of volunteerism and expressed her pride in their achievements.

“Our member’s commitment to Palmer Drug Abuse Special People Program, Arts in Medicine at Vannie E. Cook Children’s Hematology and Oncology Clinic, and Bully Talk…is evident through our volunteerism,” remarked Ochoa. “Our Seventh Annual Children’s Art & Literacy Festival in September positively impacted over 2,000 children in our community, and I look for its continued success this year,” she continued.

The McAllen League logs more than 3,000 service hours annually, with thousands of dollars raised each year to benefit the charities they serve. The group is made up of more than 400 active, provisional and sustaining members.

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