Photo: Agriculture Award from the Goliad Lion’s Club presented at the Goliad County Chamber of Commerce annual 2019 banquet.
It was a typical Goliad County Chamber of Commerce annual banquet, this year at the historic Schroeder Dance Hall. The festivities were about half way through the awards presentations, and a friend, Robin Alaniz, was presenting the Goliad Lion’s Club’s Agriculture Award. Robin was saying something about Goliad County agriculture being primarily ranching, but that there were less common agricultural activities such as grape and olive production. I thought to myself, “Well, either the Christophers (Christopher Family Vineyards) or the Kolbs (see article about Goliad Gold Olive Oil) will get the award.” Then Robin said, the word “fish” and talked about a Goliad agricultural business that shipped fish around the Texas, the USA, and even overseas. Only one Goliad ag-business did that. Goliad Farms™ was awarded the Agriculture Award for 2019. Susie and I were caught completely by surprise and made our way to the stage to receive our plaque and take photos.
By the way, Robin is an excellent photographer. To see her work, check out “Goliad: As I See It” on Facebook.
Goliad Farms™ has been raising tropical fish in Goliad County since we moved our hatchery here from Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2000-2001 (it takes a lot of trips transferring breeding and sales stock by pickup and trailer). Since setting up the hatchery in Goliad County, Susie and I have become involved in local organizations such as the Goliad County Chamber of Commerce, Canoe Trail Goliad, and General Zaragoza Society (see General Zaragoza Society on Facebook). Goliad Farms™ has sponsored Little League baseball teams and hired locals to work at the hatchery. We usually have a high school student working for us, often one living on the school bus route that passes by our farm. Despite all of this, I’ve always felt Goliad Farms™ had a low profile locally and was better known nationally than locally. I was apparently wrong.
Good fishkeeping!
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