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WEB On The Road HeaderWhat glorious weather we are having...not too hot, not too cold...it is just right. Yep, it is just right for being outdoors and enjoying our beautiful South Texas. The gurus of the travel industry say that the plus side of the pandemic has brought more and more travelers into eco-tourism and enjoying the great outdoors.

 

When planning a tour - especially when walking and the outdoors is involved, it is always wise to check the weather history of the area you are exploring. To enjoy walking, optimum temperature should be in the upper sixties and not more than the mid-seventies. You will not tire as easily while walking if you plan to travel with those average temperatures. So, let's enjoy the outdoors of our beautiful Rio Grande Valley and our beautiful weather.

When you go exploring whether by car, bus, train, or plane, eventually you will be walking to get the real feel of what you are experiencing. So, most all tours that are offered will include some walking. Of course, along with checking temperatures, it is a good idea to check the altitude especially if you are prone to altitude sickness or have a heart condition. Certainly, in the Rio Grande Valley we really don't need to worry about the altitude.

Recently, calls have been coming in asking about the Farm Tour and the King Ranch Farm Tour. First, let us look at the Farm Tour.

Our area is a virtual garden with the possibility of producing three crops per year although most farmers will produce only two. The area could hardly produce one good crop if we could not irrigate. So that is how the Farm Tour begins - with a visit to a District Irrigation Headquarters.

Now our climate is not only attractive to Winter Texans - it also attracts bugs. Next in importance then is crop dusting in an effort to control some of these bugs. Important also is talking to a real farmer who has experienced the ups and downs of farming with too little rainfall and too much rainfall. He can tell you yields and property values and answer most all the other questions you might have. All of this and more is included in the regular Farm Tour.

So, what is the King Ranch Farm Tour? And how is it different? For starters, some of the difference is in the scale of farming done on the properties owned by King Ranch. Much of the 825 thousand acres of the King Ranch located in South Texas is dedicated to ranching. But on the four divisions, at least one of those divisions is dedicated to farming. Can you imagine furrows that are three miles long? Or checking the temperature of the soil to see when is the best time to plant? Or a state-of-the-art cotton gin and huge buildings to store the grain that is harvested? The King Ranch Farm Tour also includes a visit to the Feed Lot where cattle are fattened before being sold for slaughter. Few people realize that King Ranch properties are scattered all over the southern United States. These properties also produce pecans and citrus along with the cotton and grain produced in South Texas.

Both the Farm Tour and the King Ranch Farm Tour require some walking but certainly in our flat, lowland country, the walks are not strenuous. Come on out and enjoy the outdoors and the agreeable climate in South Texas.

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