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Los Fresnos organic farms provide healthy foodstuffs
- Updated: December 31, 2020
By TONY VINDELL
LFN
It’s true that Los Fresnos has been known as a bedroom community throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
In addition to that, the city has been getting notoriety as being the home of the “The Biggest Little Rodeo in Texas” now for more than 30 years.
But did you know this area is also home to some of the best and largest organic farms in the whole region?
Just take a drive along Henderson, Stanford and Whipple roads to find out what role this sector of the farming industry plays here.
Acres upon acres of agri-land are cultivated every year with winter vegetables such as cilantro, broccoli, lettuce, parsley, chard, beets, onions and other crops.
Each product is certified as organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are members of the Go Texan campaign created to promote the Lone Star State.
Some of these products end up in healthy food stores and in some supermarkets all over the state.
Right now, cilantro is being harvested in some of the fields.
Farm workers cut the top of each plant and tie it with a wire and a tag that reads Organic Cilantro.
The product is then placed in a plastic container for shipping.
Mark Miller, a Los Fresnos resident and one of three investors in the business venture called Tenaza Farms, said the products are sold at a couple of supermarket chains and at some food specialty shops.
“Right now we are harvesting cilantro,” he said. “Next is collard greens.”
Besides Miller, the other partners are Mike Ortiz of Rancho Viejo and Californian Jed Murray.
“Business has been good,” he said. “We have been doing this for eight or nine years now.”
