Joanna Garcia | Poteet, Texas | Ecampus Student
2024 Strawberry Grower of the Year Poteet, Texas
2022 Reserve Grand Champion Grower Poteet, Texas
Fueled Innovation
What I’m most passionate about is improving strawberry production in South Texas. My love for strawberry farming is actually what inspired me to return to school, I wanted to dive deeper into horticulture and farming so I could better understand the 'why' behind the answers I was given about growing strawberries. Learning more about the science and techniques behind farming has allowed me to experiment with new strawberry varieties, such as the Florida Pearl 109, and explore innovative ways to improve sustainability in our region. For example, I’ve introduced mycorrhizal fungi to bareroot strawberry plants to help them develop stronger root structures, making them more drought tolerant.
I’m particularly interested in sustainable farming practices and plant breeding, especially developing heat and drought-tolerant fruiting plants to address challenges like climate change and water scarcity. It’s exciting to work toward solutions that can benefit both farmers and the environment, and I’m eager to keep experimenting, learning, and sharing my knowledge with others. I’m a creative and passionate person who enjoys blending my hobbies with my love for farming and sustainability. One of my favorite pastimes is making jams from the berries we grow on our farm, especially experimenting with fun twists on traditional strawberry jam. I also enjoy crafting candles, which allows me to express my creativity in a completely different way.
Rooted Knowledge
While I haven’t participated in formal internships or research programs, my field of study has directly influenced the work I do on our family farm. Studying horticulture has allowed me to experiment with innovative farming practices, like testing new strawberry varieties such as Florida Pearl 109 and Portola. The Portola variety, in particular, is an extreme day-neutral strawberry that is more heat and drought-tolerant than most other varieties, making it an excellent choice for the South Texas climate. I’ve also explored sustainable practices like introducing mycorrhizal fungi to bare-root strawberry plants to improve drought tolerance by strengthening their root systems. The most valuable part of these experiences has been seeing the practical application of what I’ve learned in school directly benefit our farm. Connecting academic concepts with real-world solutions is exciting, and it has deepened my passion for horticulture and sustainable agriculture. The most fun has been experimenting and watching plants thrive as a result of new methods; it’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact of my efforts on the farm. Thankfully, my experimenting is supported by my fiancé, who encourages me to implement new methods, even when we don’t know how or if they will benefit the farm. His trust and support make all the difference in my ability to innovate and grow.
I’ve found plenty of ways to apply what I’ve learned in my coursework to our family farm. For example, I first learned about mycorrhizal fungi in the Fungi in Society class I took at Oregon State, and it inspired me to experiment with adding fungi to our bare-root strawberry plants. The results have been great, it’s helping the plants develop stronger root systems and making them more drought-tolerant, which is so important for farming in South Texas. I also introduced a colony of bees to our farm after taking the Honey Bee Biology course. That class opened my eyes to how vital pollinators are for agriculture, and I wanted to do my part to support them while improving pollination for our strawberries. Through the Pollinators in Peril course, I learned that many other pollinators, such as flies and moths, are just as important, if not more so, than honey bees and butterflies.
Determined Pursuit
Returning to school at my age was definitely intimidating, but I’ve also faced other challenges along the way. One of the biggest has been dealing with health issues, including a potential cancer scare and multiple surgeries, which affected both my studies and my work on the farm. Thankfully, the scare turned out not to be cancer, but it was a difficult time that required me to balance recovery with staying on top of my responsibilities. In addition to the physical challenges, I’ve also dealt with depression and anxiety, which can make some days harder to get through than others. However, I’ve learned to take things one day at a time and lean on the support of my family, friends, and partner when I need it. My passion for farming and sustainable agriculture has been a driving force that keeps me going, even on tough days. Returning to school has also been incredibly rewarding—it’s shown me that no matter the challenges, it’s never too late to grow, learn, and pursue what you’re passionate about.
I wish I had known earlier how many classes I needed to complete my degree. Even as recently as this past term, my advisor was able to apply previous credits to my degree plan, which was incredibly helpful, but having that clarity earlier in my academic journey would have made planning much easier. I also wish I had a better understanding of financial aid limits when I first started. It would have been helpful to know more about how financial aid is structured and how it might impact my ability to take classes later in my degree. These challenges have taught me the importance of asking questions and staying proactive, but having more guidance from the start would have made the process much smoother.
Cultivated Wisdon
While it might seem like growing strawberries is as simple as putting plants in the ground and harvesting fruit, there’s so much more to it. We have to consider the health and pH of the soil, manage watering schedules and flow rates, calculate how many plants will fit in the fields, and choose varieties that are best suited to our climate. Moving to Poteet and building our farm not only deepened my love for agriculture but also ignited a passion for learning that continues to inspire me every day.
I wish I had been able to attend classes in person to experience campus life and build stronger connections with the teachers who have guided me on this journey. While I’ve been incredibly grateful for the support and knowledge I’ve received through my online courses, I think being on campus would have provided more opportunities to interact face-to-face, both with my professors and with fellow students. That sense of community and the chance to fully immerse myself in the college experience is something I feel I missed out on, but I’m still deeply appreciative of everything I’ve gained through this program.
My biggest piece of advice to incoming students is to stay curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If there’s something you don’t understand or a topic that excites you, dive into it, whether that’s through a class, research, or just learning on your own. For example, I wrote a paper for one of my classes where I compared strawberry rows inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi to rows that weren’t. That project helped me see firsthand how applying what I learned in class could improve real-world farming practices. Experiences like that showed me the value of curiosity and experimentation in making meaningful progress.I’d also say to stay flexible and open to new opportunities, even if they seem intimidating. Returning to school later in life was overwhelming for me at first, especially while balancing health challenges and the responsibilities of running a farm. But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It reminded me that it’s never too late to learn and grow, no matter where you are in life. Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of building connections with your professors, classmates, and people in your field. Those relationships can help guide you, support you, and even open doors to new opportunities you may not have imagined. I wish someone had told me how much of a difference it makes to lean on others and ask for help when you need it.
Applied Curiosity
I have a paper I wrote about my experiment using mycorrhizal fungi on our strawberry plants, where I compared inoculated rows to those that were not. The results were fascinating, and I believe I still have videos that I shared with my oldest child, who lives out of town. In the videos, you can clearly see the difference between the inoculated rows and the non-inoculated ones, particularly in root development and plant health.This project was inspired by what I learned in the Fungi in Society class, and it’s a great example of how I’ve applied what I’ve learned in school to improve farming practices on our farm. I’d love to share this work in a video format, it’s a visual way to show how experimentation and sustainable practices can make a real difference in agriculture.
These experiences have been incredibly valuable to me. They’ve shown me how to connect what I’m learning in school to real-world challenges and have fueled my passion for sustainable farming and plant breeding. While I haven’t taken formal plant breeding courses yet, I’d love to pursue a graduate degree in the field so I can build on my experiences and gain the knowledge I need to develop heat- and drought-tolerant fruiting plants that can help farmers like us tackle the challenges of climate change.
Field Innovation
In addition to grower of the year and reserve grand champion, I am extremely honored that our farm is the only far in South Texas that is growing the Florida Pearl-109. I’ve followed plant breeding research from the University of Florida, which led me to try out new strawberry varieties like Florida Pearl 109 and Portola. Both are better suited for heat and drought conditions, and experimenting with them has been a great way to test out what I’ve learned and see what works best in our region. I followed the research on this strawberry for several years and impatiently waited for the exclusivity rights to be released so that we could order this plant for our fields. Even though the plant was no longer exclusive to Florida, I had a couple of nurseries refuse to sell them to me. It took me contacting the breeder, Dr. Vance Whitaker, to get them. He called Doug Thomas of Crown Nursery and put us in contact so that I could order them. Without these two gentlemen, my fiancée for taking this huge risk, and my kids for listening to my trials of securing these plants, our farm would have the media coverage we have had this season.