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Texas Department of Agriculture hosts bi-annual quilt competition

Details: Published: Thursday, 14 March 2024 10:58

Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) are thrilled to announce the unveiling of the 2024 Quilt Block Competition. This year’s theme, “Texas Agriculture Matters,” celebrates the rich agricultural heritage of the Lone Star State.

Quilters from across the state are invited to join this exciting creative initiative to celebrate agriculture's vital role in our state. Participating quilters are asked to submit block patterns that draw inspiration from the diverse aspects of agriculture production in Texas, including crops, livestock, rural landscapes, and the hardworking individuals contributing to the state's agricultural prosperity.

Mid-Valley Golf Courses go from potential to greatness

Details: Published: Friday, 08 March 2024 15:47

Spring is just around the corner, and for us, that means golf – even if you can play it nearly year-round in the Valley climate. Each spring we ask our readers to vote for their favorite golf courses. The Valley has many courses to choose from, and Winter Texans seem to try to catch them all while visiting the Valley.

This is the third part in our series. This is your last week to vote for your favorites. Be sure to go online to www.wintertexantimes.com to vote for your favorite course in each area. If you have any special words to say about a course, email us at news@wintertexantimes.com.

Tony Butler Golf Course

Tony Butler would be proud.

The Tony Butler Golf Course of today isn’t the same as yesteryear. In fact, come this October, when the city is done with its multi-million-dollar revamp project – you may not even recognize it. Currently, holes 19-27 remain open as 1-18 goes through the makeover of makeovers as the city looks to increase its position as a destination city.

But the course’s impact on Rio Grande Valley golf remains as great, if not greater than any other golf course in terms of Rio Grande Valley Golf.

The course is re-doing everything – tee boxes fairways, bunkers, greens, lakes – it’s about as different as could be – and management promises “it will be harder. And completely different.” The city is also making heavy improvements to drainage, including installing a new pump station.

The Harlingen public golf course bears the name of the man, Tony Butler, who helped bring some of the sport’s greatest athletes to the Rio Grande Valley for professional tournaments during the Great Depression. The public Tony Butler golf course is much like the man, requiring a sharp strategic mind and the ability to play consistent golf.

Tony Butler Golf Course is located at 2640 South “M” Street in Harlingen. It is a 27-hole course that meanders through the natural South Texas terrain and is extremely easy to walk if you choose. The 18-hole course has a championship layout measuring 6,400 yards (par 71).

RGV Livestock Show & Rodeo celebrates 85 years

Details: Published: Friday, 08 March 2024 15:39

IMG 4088 a web The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo is the Valley’s largest single event bringing in over 400,000 visitors to the Mercedes community annually. From 1939 to 2024, 85 years of historical amazing history has been made right here in the Rio Grande Valley. The event hosts over 7,000 exhibitor entries by 4H and FFA members from across the Rio Grande Valley and from across the state.

The 2024 event is bringing some new additions to expand the scope of experiences for everyone. Families from Brownsville to Roma to Raymondville and from outside the RGV can expect fun, food and new entertainment that will be second to none. The 11-day event will feature one of the best carnivals in the nation, and local and national food vendors that bring unique flavors, both sweet and savory.

March 6, 2024 - Rina's Ramblings

Details: Published: Friday, 08 March 2024 15:36

20240301 203449 web This past week was a fun one – a little cooler than usual, but a fun one. There was a great turn out at the Mission Winter Texan Fiesta. The day started with a light misty rain and a cool breeze, and although we were expecting the sun at some point, I don’t think it showed itself until the event was practically over. So, quite a few Winter Texans decided not to venture out until a little later in the afternoon instead of showing up at the beginning, which was fine, we still had the chance to talk to a lot of you.

We even met the couple that is in our Winter Texan Ambassador ad. It’s a picture from several years ago, but it’s one that we like and have been using for the ad for several years. They said you could tell the time frame of the photo because no one is using cell phones to take photos – everyone has a little point and shoot camera instead. Most Winter Texans you see taking photos at events now have a cell phone, or something nicer than a point and shoot.

It is always fun hanging out with you and talking to you. We had a lot of visitors to our table. So many of them mentioned how long they had been coming to the Valley, reading the paper, and how they came once to visit and the next year they bought a home to come back to each year. It’s awesome hearing how much the Valley is loved by our Winter Texan friends and what some of you find different from here versus Florida. We are thrilled you have decided to spend time with us.
We also had the opportunity to go see Fiddler on the Roof performed by the Harlingen Community Theatre. I just have to say WOW! That was a phenomenal production! The people that volunteered their time and talent to this production were incredible. I was crying during one scene and laughing in another. It was so real, heartfelt, and emotional. They really made the story come to life on that stage. I am hoping we can catch more of their productions next year.

The Harlingen Community Theatre is a non-profit and everything on the stage, from their outfits to props, is all made possible by donations. They have had a wonderful season this year – selling out almost all their shows, something that hasn’t been done since 2019.

You can find out more information about them, how to support them, and when their next shows are, by visiting them online at https://hctvalleystars.org/.

Winter Texan Ambassadors

If you are still interested in becoming a Winter Texan Ambassador, don’t forget to call us soon and reserve 25 copies or more to take home with you and show everyone why you enjoy the Valley so much. Our take home issue will be March 13 and we can work out on how to get those papers to you.

Call us by March 8 to let us know how many you want reserved.

Hand wash or dishwasher

Details: Published: Friday, 08 March 2024 15:22

Good morning. Or is it good afternoon? I have been looking back at some of the previous On the Road articles that I have written for you. Would you believe that just about a year ago, I told you that I felt guilty for maybe wasting water as I washed dishes. At that time even the Farmers Associations were stressing that farmers should plant more crops that used less water. Sure enough, when we did our early February Farm Tour, you could see that there were more and more crops being planted that used less water.

Just recently, the local sugar cane mill has announced that they must close. There is no longer enough sugar cane being produced to pay for the expense of operating the mill. Growing sugar cane from planting to production reportedly takes more water than any other crop that is grown in the Rio Grande Valley. I am anxious to go on the next Farm Tour and see how the crops are doing.

All of us – from the housewife who washes dishes and does the family laundry, to the teenager who loves to take those long, exhilarating hot showers, and the farmer who doesn’t watch the border breaks when he irrigates – we all need to become more conscious of our over usage and waste of that precious commodity. And our climate changes, which affect us as well as those in Mexico, is not helping.

As I thought about what more I could do to conserve water, I was reminded of a housekeeper from Mexico that once worked for me. She handwashed dishes differently than I did – and I think it probably did save water. Her method was to take a soap filled wet sponge and scrub each cup, saucer, and plate with the sponge before placing those soapy dishes in the sink and proceeding to rinse them with hot running water. That method probably used less water than rinsing each individual item one by one… especially if you leave the water running as you scrub each utensil. I also wonder if any studies have ever been made over which method uses more water – using an electric dishwasher or hand washing the same number of dishes and utensils.

Some of you guys out there that have an analytical mind figure that one out, will you? And let me know. My dishwasher has been broken for months and replacement parts have not been available. Shall I just continue to wash dishes by hand? After all, that is how I grew up. We didn’t have electricity, much less an electric dishwasher.