Summary & Background

Summary:

The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the multimillion Citrus Farming Industry in the Rio Grande Valley and how it all came to be. These are the three main points of this lesson: To learn about the characteristics of the communities where citrus trees grow in the RGV, to learn how did John H. Shary began to depend on natural resources to become the Founder Father of the Citrus Industry, and to learn how different weather patterns of the RGV can affect the citrus farming. At the end of this unit, students will be able to know that the RGV has the perfect climate for citrus farming. The Texas citrus industry first took off in the Rio Grande Valley in the late 1800s.

Background:

John H. Shary was a land developer and colonizer from Nebraska who became involved in the development and growth of the region after he took a tour of an orchard in 1912. In 1915, Mr. Shary planted 360 acres of citrus trees in McAllen, Texas. Shary bought and subdivided 50,000 acres of citrus in the valley. Shary was correct about the soil in the Valley land. It was able to produce citrus in mass. Trees had been grown in family yards and gardens but now a larger amount of citrus was being planted. Eventually production outnumbered consumption which led Shary to realize his potential of this crop and began to market and distribute. The first carload was shipped out in 1920 by a train in McAllen. Citrus growers were successful in the valley because of their access to transportation. The railroad became the chief distributor. A second reason was the extensive irrigation system. Grapefruit roots did not grow very deep into the ground and so growers had to flood their orchards four times a year. The fertility of the soil was also a major contributor to the success. The area was considered semi-arid but new soil was brought in with each irrigation. Valley growers did not have to fertilize the land like those in Florida and California. Share then organized a chain of shipping plants, commercial packing, and large growers which is now known as the Texas Citrus Growers exchange. During the 1930s there was a flurry surrounding the citrus activity. Mission began a Citrus fiesta in 1932 to promote and celebrate citrus in the Rio Grande Valley. In 1937 the RGV Citrus exchange had become the largest juicing plant in the nation. Shary had opened the path for future development transforming mission which later included McAllen and Edinburg.