These West Texas Farmer Brothers Grow the Pecos Cantaloupe and It’s a Sweet Success Story

In the process of informing consumers where their food comes from and how it gets to them, the Texas Farm Bureau recently released a video to its Facebook page showcasing a Texas cantaloupe farmer. Has the thought ever crossed your mind when you’re shopping your local supermarket, “I wonder where this was shipped from?” Well, if it has, you can rest assured a farmer produced it somewhere, be it a big business or a smaller family operation, and in this instance, it’s the latter.

Beto Mandujano is a Texas farmer that hails from west Texas, where the Pecos cantaloupe is somewhat of a celebrity. What started with 30 – 40 acres for Beto and his brothers has now grown into an over 300-acre farm, which Mandujano says is strictly thanks to their customers. Explaining that it’s one of the hardest fruits to grow, the demand is also consistent, which has allowed Beto and his brothers to continue doing something they love.

The farmers begin planting their cantaloupe in early March and, as Mandujano explains, it takes approximately 90 days to reach harvest. He also noted that the hotter the Texas weather, the faster the crop gets ripened. This means that right around the time that this article and the Texas Farm Bureau’s video have been released, the farm is moving into harvest. Mandujano explained that many of the farm’s workers have been with them for more than a decade and are treated like family. He noted that without the customers and the demand, as well as the work hands to support the entity, this Texas farm wouldn’t be in existence. The great west Texas location, climate, soil, and water combine to make the Pecos cantaloupe the sweet treat that it is, and keeps families coming back for more. Mandujano and his brothers are happy to oblige.