TheWinter Garden Regionis an agricultural area inSouth Texas(USA) located north ofLaredoand southwest ofSan Antonio.The region is centered on four "core" counties -Dimmit,Frio,La Salle,andZavala,[1]but also includes parts ofAtascosa,Maverick,andMcMullencounties.
Bexar,Medina,Uvalde,andWilsoncounties all have small or small portions that lie within the defined area,[2]but they are typically not considered part of the Winter Garden region.
The region is noted for its year-round production of vegetables throughirrigation.
History
editThe area is part of theTamaulipan mezquitalecoregion.[3]Before the introduction of large-scale irrigation, the region was arid and covered in shortgrassesandmesquite trees.Onioncrop production began nearCotulla(La Salle County) in 1896. At the same time,Dimmit Countyfarmers began to useartesian aquifersanddamsto provide water for irrigated crops.
The arrival ofrail transportationin the early 1900s led to a majorland boomin the region. Between 1900 and 1920, the number of farms in La Salle County almost tripled and the value of an acre of farmland in Dimmit County rose from $1.80 in 1900 to $24.60 in 1910 and more than $40 by 1920.[1]
The number of farms in Zavala County tripled between 1900 and 1930 due largely to the division of the 96,000-acre (390 km2) Cross S Ranch into 10-acre (40,000 m2) plots. Although cotton production dominated in Frio County, the region's most important crops were onions,cabbage,spinach,beets,andstrawberries.Other crops such ascitrusfruits,melons,and nuts were also harvested.
By 1930, the Winter Garden region was home to 36,816 people (up from 8,401 in 1900). A combination of increased irrigation costs and theGreat Depressionled to a decrease in the number of small farms. Many were returned toranchlandwhile irrigation farming became a large-scale enterprise in other areas.
Corporate ownership of large farms became increasingly common afterWorld War II,with major companies such asDel Monteestablishingcanneriesclose to the fields.
Today, the Winter Garden region is still among the leading producers of winter vegetables through irrigation in the country.
Core county population statistics
edit
| County | 1900 | 1930 | 1950 | 2000 | 2006 est.[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimmit | 1,106 | 8,828 | 10,654 | 10,248 | 10,385 |
| Frio | 4,200 | 9,411 | 10,357 | 16,252 | 16,336 |
| La Salle | 2,303 | 8,228 | 7,485 | 5,866 | 5,969 |
| Zavala | 792 | 10,349 | 11,201 | 11,600 | 12,036 |
| Total | 8,401 | 36,816 | 39,697 | 43,966 | 44,726 |
References
edit- ^ab"Winter Garden Region".The Handbook of Texas Online.Texas State Historical Association. 2008-01-11.Retrieved2009-10-01.
- ^Groundwater Atlas of the United States: Oklahoma, Texas - Figure 75
- ^"South Texas Plains".Wildlife Management Areas of Texas.Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.Retrieved2009-10-01.
- ^"Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population for Counties of Texas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006"(CSV).2006 Population Estimates.United States Census Bureau,Population Division. 2007-03-22.Retrieved2007-05-01.
