Throughout the past 150 years, our family has been farming and ranching land in Central Texas. Whether it was fields in San Antonio, large ranches on the banks of the Medina River in Bandera or Cottonwood Creek in Blanco, our family has always been stewards of the land; our generation is no exception. Years ago our land was worked with mules and single row plows; only healthy organic amendments were added to the soil; and the bounty was sold and eaten locally. While the locations have changed, the overall farming and ranching methods have not. Sure, we don’t plow with mules; but we firmly believe that if we take care of the land, it will take care of us; and we only sell our harvest in local communities.
Land stewardship is not to be taken lightly, thus over a decade ago, we at Steele Farms began a journey to create superior produce. This wasn’t about genetically engineering a bigger, redder tomato. It was about unlocking the mysteries of the local soil; rediscovering the farming methods that would sustain the land; and tapping into the vegetables that take food and make it better. Not regular produce. Boutique produce.
Five years later, we found the perfect piece of land on the banks of the Guadalupe River, just outside Seguin, Texas. This was not your average, worked-over land by those who had come before. This was the pure Texas earth in its raw form, ready to nurture that which would join it.
But sowing seeds in good soil is not enough. Our team turned to some of the leading sustainable farming authorities in the country to further understand soil content, pH, moisture needs, and optimal amendments for each varietal. We knew if the produce was going to be boutique, the farming methods had to match. We also knew we needed time to prepare the soil to consistently produce the kind of vegetables we desired.
In 2005, after several seasons of growing cover crops, including winter rye, oats, ubham clover, and vetch, we laid down the first vegetable blueprint – the foundation for all great produce to come. Tons of specially formulated compost and mulch combined with earth-friendly fertilizers quickly had heads turning. People came to gaze upon the oasis of green surrounded by the typical parched earth of a Texas August. At that moment, it was clear that this wasn’t about better farming - it was about helping people sustain a better quality of life.
Today, our produce will travel to your table with over 100 years of Steele Family history behind it. It humbly lies before you as an example of the great things that can happen by treating the land right. And so, when your guests ask what’s making your dinner taste better than they’ve had before, don’t panic. Just retreat with a smile and tell of the work that’s gone before, to make this produce taste as good as it looks.
