Cantaloupe community rebounds

COYANOSA Armando Mandujano said it couldn't be worse than last year.

In 2008, May hailstorms devastated production of Pecos cantaloupes, which are grown by farmers in Coyanosa and other communities in the Trans-Pecos region southwest of Odessa, the farmer said. But this year, things are looking up - knock on wood.

"It's really looking good," he said of Mandujano Bros. cantaloupe crop for 2009. "A year ago we were pretty sad around this time."

The first of the sweet-tasting cantaloupes should be harvested around June 25, Mandujano said. He has staggered his fields to be ready for picking every couple of weeks until around Labor Day.

Still, no one is expecting crop sizes like those seen in past years. Mandujano said he would farm between 120 and 150 acres of cantaloupes. While that's the most of any producer in the area, it pales in comparison to the more than 1,200 acres once farmed by groups like the Pecos Cantaloupe Co., which shut down two years ago.

LABOR PROBLEMS

Issues like housing for migrant workers have caused problems, said Clarence Stephan, a longtime Coyanosa resident. A project to provide housing in Pecos for the workers for part of the year was abandoned.

Problems were caused by government regulations and by workers who would only live in housing part of the year and leave the homes in poor condition.

"They'd stay 90 days and then it would have to be fixed back up again," he said.

Robert Gamboa came to the area to chop weeds in 1948 and worked his way up until he bought a local store and farmland. He said the problems the area faces now are the worst he's seen. While demand for the melons is still great, keeping the supply up will remain a challenge for farmers around Pecos.

"It's broke a lot of big companies," he said.

Crackdowns on illegal immigrants and finding homes for the workers that do come has made doing business tough, he said.

"You have to have people to pick," he said. "When the time comes, you have to be ready."

Mandujano will have migrant workers stay in bunkhouses on his farm, but he said he is able to limit labor issues by keeping to around 70 employees. Though his farm has 2,800 total acres, much of it is dedicated to less labor-intensive goods like onions, peppers, cotton and hay.

Because of cantaloupe's relatively short shelf life, the melons have to be picked almost constantly, he said. This can lead to accidents.

"It's a very important part of our deal," Mandujano said of cantaloupes. "I wouldn't trade it for anything else. But it's a small part of our deal."

MORE CANTALOUPES?

Eventually, Mandujano would like to expand the number of acres dedicated to cantaloupes. At some point, he would like to use self-propelled conveyor belts that can help reduce labor needed in picking.

"If we had 800 acres (of cantaloupes), we'd really be in trouble," he said. "But we'd like to get to where we do a little more and a little more."

He said he could see between 250 and 300 acres being devoted to cantaloupes.

"We're just not ready right now," he said.

And while his current acreage may not sound like much, Mandujano said each acre would produce between 20,000 and 25,000 pounds of cantaloupes.

The cantaloupes are sold to grocery stores like Lowe's, Mandujano said, and through distributors, are sold to chains like H-E-B and Wal-Mart.

He expects the cantaloupes being produced to be enough to meet the needs of Texas - which is the primary area of interest for Pecos cantaloupes.

"The cantaloupes are world famous - as long as you keep them here in Texas," Mandujano joked. "It does good in other areas, but it really does good here in Texas."

CRITTERS EVERYWHERE

While Mandujano said he's expecting a good crop, others in the area aren't so fortunate. Gamboa said he would have "very few" cantaloupes this year.

Gamboa said he hasn't had a drop of rain. And when there's no rain, there's no vegetation for animals to eat. And that leads to animals swarming toward whatever vegetation they can find.

"We've had problems with all the little creatures eating them up," he said. "They come from 10 miles (around) to eat them."

Gamboa said he is growing 24 acres each of cantaloupes and watermelons this year. In 2008, he tried to grow 53 acres of cantaloupes.

Mandujano said he doesn't have the same problems with animals, since he qualifies for federal assistance. He said government agents recently shot 16 coyotes and 11wild hogs on his property in one day from helicopters.

"If they can't come out, we'll contract on our own," he said. "They do a real good job helping us."

THE BLUE BELL DOESN'T TOLL FOR THEE

One more disappointment for the area is sure to be a decision by Blue Bell Creameries not to market its Cantaloupe ‘n Cream ice cream this summer. The Brenham company had sold the flavor on a rotational basis since 2004.

Instead, Blue Bell spokesman Bill Weiss said the creamery would announce a new rotational flavor in late July or August, declining to say what the flavor would be.

"Part of what we try to do is come up with new an interesting flavors," he said.

While the company had to make adjustments due to 2008's slow harvest, Weiss said that "really didn't factor in" to its decision not to produce Cantaloupe ‘n Cream in 2009.

Weiss said the flavor was a unique one and Blue Bell would consider making it again in the future.

"That particular flavor did pretty well," he said.

All this happening when the economy is weak overall concerns Mandujano somewhat.

"It's going to affect us some, but I'm thinking there's a lot less that's going to be produced," he said. "So I'm hoping the demand goes up. And it looks like that's what's happening."

But the farmers say there's one thing that can't be taken away from the area - and that's the ground itself.

"The reason the flavor is so much better is because the soil is high in potassium. It just gives them that flavor you can smell. When you put them in the grocery store, they really stink up the whole grocery store," Mandujano said, laughing.