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Learn about farming in the RGV

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Published: Thursday, 20 March 2025 13:03

Spring has definitely sprung. When I check the temperature in New York and Boston I am so, so glad that I live in South Texas. And thanks for the refreshing wind that seems to greet us each day. We would surely feel the heat more if we did not have the gentle wind to keep us comfortable.

The weather has created a desire for people to travel and many are hoping to be able to travel out of the United States.

That should sound like music to a tour operator but actually what happens is with so many traveling many hotels are often booked well in advance and charter bus companies are short on qualified drivers and equipment and often unable to serve the many requests being made for transportation services. So actually, arranging lodging and transportation becomes a real challenge.

Since I live in the country and grew up on a farm, I am constantly reminded as I drive into town of one of my favorite tours - the one-day farm tour. How beautiful it is to see the well-manicured fields boasting the nice straight rows of their recently planted crop.

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Learn about farming in the RGV

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Published: Wednesday, 19 March 2025 13:22

Spring has definitely sprung. When I check the temperature in New York and Boston I am so, so glad that I live in South Texas. And thanks for the refreshing wind that seems to greet us each day. We would surely feel the heat more if we did not have the gentle wind to keep us comfortable.

The weather has created a desire for people to travel and many are hoping to be able to travel out of the United States.

That should sound like music to a tour operator but actually what happens is with so many traveling many hotels are often booked well in advance and charter bus companies are short on qualified drivers and equipment and often unable to serve the many requests being made for transportation services. So actually, arranging lodging and transportation becomes a real challenge.

Since I live in the country and grew up on a farm, I am constantly reminded as I drive into town of one of my favorite tours - the one-day farm tour. How beautiful it is to see the well-manicured fields boasting the nice straight rows of their recently planted crop.

Now ladies, I know that most of you don't agree with my comments. All too often I have heard you say that you have had all the farming you want. I did not have to raise my children on a farm. I was just twelve years old when we moved to the big city of Houston and did I ever miss the farm, playing on the creek bank and slipping away to enjoy the swimming hole every chance I had. So, I remember the fun times - not the hard times. Farming is hard but it is what made the Rio Grande Valley what it is today.

Even so the history of farming in the Rio Grande Valley is very interesting. The lure of the rich alluvial soil built up by the millions of years of flooding from the Rio Grande River and the price of the land back in the early 1900's is what brought so many settlers to our area.

Even so, the lack of water was a real challenge. Before long, irrigation districts were formed and water from the Rio Grande soon revived the wilting crops. This wonderful weather that we have is great not just for outdoor enjoyment but for the production of insects that devour our crops. Next came the crop dusters who to this day must spray the fields to protect the crops from those predators. It is interesting that those very ladies who said they had had enough of farming are the first to want to climb up and sit in the passenger seat of the duster plane.

You will hear all about the farming industry and how it developed in the Rio Grande Valley. Most interesting of all will be the visit with a present-day farmer whose father was an immigrant from Mexico. His dedication to farming was instilled in his son and his grandson. Today that son of an immigrant owns over 1,500 acres of farmland due to good management and hard work. He also follows the harvest into North Texas with the three cotton pickers he owns.

This is a full day tour with lunch included. Come learn about farming in South Texas.

March 19, 2025 - Rina's Ramblings

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Published: Wednesday, 19 March 2025 13:12

I can’t believe the season is almost over. The last few months seem to have gone way too fast. I have enjoyed seeing all the activities you have been participating in around town and in your parks. I am going to miss seeing those smiling faces and the fun photos.

We still have a few exciting things happening just before the majority of you start packing up and heading back north. You will see some of those events in this week’s paper.

One that seems to be enjoyed by many is the Texas Onion Festival held in Weslaco, where the 1015 onion was developed. They celebrate the success of the onion with a huge celebration.

The other big event is Tourist Day that will be held on March 21. This event is also held yearly to thank the many tourists that cross the border. Progreso and Rio Bravo throw out the red carpet for their winter visitors each year with entertainment and tons of fun.

Like I said, we enjoy seeing the things you do while in the Valley. You will see a couple of things featured in this issue too. You still have one more issue to share what you have done while visiting the Valley. We would love to share your photos with our readers. It lets them see all the fun they can have in the Valley.

You can send photos and information to news@wintertexantimes.com.

We love having you here and hope that you have had a great time and plan to visit again. Let us know what brings you here, what you enjoy the most about the Valley, your park, or anything else. We would love to hear from you.

~ Rina

You’ll receive a warm welcome in Texas

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Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 14:43

20220316 FRIENDLY Progreso Winter Tourist Appreciation Day HMoering 0433Time and again, Winter Texans list friendliness as big a reason to live here. Not only does that include their neighbors in the park or other parks, but also the people in the community who are happy to have Winter Texans because they appreciate the economic and other benefits they bring to the Valley.

Alan Johnston remembers coming to the Rio Grande Valley from Minnesota over 30 years ago.

One of the first things Johnston saw were signs that said, “Welcome Back Winter Texans.”

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It’s the weather that brings them back

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Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 14:40

20220316 WARM Palms IMG 1651The beautiful subtropical weather of South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley is definitely one of the biggest attractions for Winter Texans. There could be as much as a 100-degree difference between South Texas and places like Northern Minnesota or South Dakota.

The Rio Grande Valley is definitely a joy to live in, especially if the other option includes snow, ice and all things frozen. The average high between December and February runs from 70-74 degrees (but can reach into the 80s) and lows are generally between 49 and 54 – with the token warning once or twice a year that a frost is on its way, sending full-time residents scurrying to cover their outdoor plants.

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Get more for your dollar in the Valley

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Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 14:14

20220316 CHEAP Don Wes Flea Market KO 0699As our winter visitors come to the Valley, it seems they are more frugal when it comes to where they go. They want to have a great time, but they don't want to spend the money they've saved and earned to go just toward living expenses. They want to live it up – from dances and shows to trips to South Padre Island and Nuevo Progreso, Mexico and, of course all the free events that take place on a daily occurrence at the RV resorts.

Progreso is as much a Winter Texan hotspot as any place on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande. Arts, crafts, medicine as well as deliciously prepared adult beverages and a world of exquisite fajitas, enchiladas and other Mexican fare call out to visitors from the north on a regular basis. Some will drive across and park on the one main street that is crammed with shops, restaurants and pharmacies on both sides of the road. Others will take the short walk across the Progreso International Bridge and enjoy the small tourist destination that way.

Read more: Get more for your dollar in the Valley

Winter Texans visit the Valley to stay active

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Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 14:12

IMG 3456 webOne of the things that we hear around here is that Winter Texans come to the Valley during the winter months so they can still live an active lifestyle. If they were still up north, they would be stuck inside during snowstorms, and wouldn’t have much to do but a few indoor activities when it is too cold outside. The only activity they would really get is shoveling snow, and that is something they don’t want to be doing.

So, they come to south Texas so that can have a wide variety of activities to choose from. Because of the warmer climate, and predominantly dry season, Winter Texans have a full range of outdoor activities they can participate in while in south Texas from October through March.
One of the most popular activities is golf. Many of the resorts in the Rio Grande Valley have a golf course, and if yours doesn’t, there are still plenty to choose from. There are top notch golf courses and Winter Texans have been known to try them all out and pick favorites.

Read more: Winter Texans visit the Valley to stay active

Rio Grande Valley parks feature top Wintertainers™

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Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 14:10

20220316 FUN Redneck Revivial BentsenPalmsRV HMiller 06The Rio Grande Valley's Winter Texan scene isn't the quiet, gem in the rough secret that it once was.

For the winter visitors, that's a good thing – especially when it comes to entertainment. Winter Texans are known for having fun. The Valley provides tons of it too.

More and more Wintertainers™ are coming to the Valley to entertain Winter Texans. The growth can be attributed to entertainers like Gordy and Debbie who came to the Valley nearly 15 years ago and were an immediate hit. When they returned home, they spread the word and brought some friends down. Many other entertainers are still sharing the good news with others that the Valley is a place to be.

Read more: Rio Grande Valley parks feature top Wintertainers™

Winter Texans feel safe in the Rio Grande Valley

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Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 14:10

20170321 TOURIST DAY Progreso Moering DSC 0906 webFor decades, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas has been a favorite destination for retirees from the Midwest and Canada looking to head south for the winter to escape the snow, ice and cold, harsh weather. In addition to the warm, semi-tropical climate here in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Winter Texans frequently tell us they enjoy the friendly people here, the many activities available to enjoy in the mobile home and RV parks and resorts, and the camaraderie with other Winter Texans who spend three to six months in South Texas each winter.

Besides the warm weather, they come because it’s fun!

Read more: Winter Texans feel safe in the Rio Grande Valley

What it means to be a Winter Texan

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Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 14:03

IMG 7293 webEditor’s Note: This submission was part of a contest at Mission Bell/Tradewinds Resort in Mission. They asked for submissions on what their residents thought a Winter Texan was. Bob McBain won first place and was featured in their newsletter. We were given permission to republish the article.

By Bob McBain

Being a Winter Texan means a lot of things to different people. First most people think of Winter Texans as just another version of Snowbirds. People who flee the wintry weather and go south, like migrating birds.

And that is what I thought as well, until I retired and tried the Snowbird life. I had visited Arizona during the winter months before I retired, but there was nothing to make me want to be a Snowbird and migrate to Arizona. Then I visited my brother in March 2014, who was a Winter Texan at that time, and it was so different.

The people were friendly, warm, and sincere. They made you feel welcome. That was the point in time that I decided I would come back the next year and give it a try, as I was retiring in 2015. So, we bought a travel trailer and made the journey in 2015 down to Mission, Texas to try the Winter Texan thing.

My brother was no longer staying in the valley, so we were coming down, knowing no one other than the few people that I had met the year before. My wife knew no one down here, as she was not with me when I was here in 2014.

Talk about taking a gamble. My wife and I loved it. Everyone made you feel welcome. The people were not pushy or snobby. We have been Winter Texans since 2015, and plan to continue being Winter Texans for as long as the good Lord sees fit.

I will say that things have changed in the nine years that we have been coming down. The dynamics of the Valley have changed dramatically, as well as the dynamics of RV parks.

“People are aging out,” is the best way of saying it. Death, health issues, cost, and age are the biggest factors.

When we first came down, it was 90% RVs and 10% Park models, and the park was full. Today it has reversed. 90% park models and 10% RVs. This in itself has changed the dynamics of a park.

If you lived in an RV, you wanted to get out and do things. The hall was busy every night of the week with people playing cards, games or just gathering. Happy hours were going on daily somewhere in the park. Trips to Mexico were all day events. Golf was 50-60 people. Bus trips to events were commonplace, but living in a park model has changed this. People are living in “homes,” not an RV.

There is one constant, and this is the heart of being what a Winter Texan is. It is the people. I think of the people as being family, not extended family, but blended family. We are all different and come from diverse backgrounds and beliefs and from all over the USA and Canada. We are here to be among family and friends. That is what brings us back every year. They are our friends, yes, but even more, our blended family.
That is what being a Winter Texan means to me.

I am proud to be a Winter Texan.

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