Pearsall, Texas

The community:
The modern history of Pearsall began with the railroad. On July 4, 1881, the first passenger train pulled into town for the sale of lots by the International Great Northern Railroad and people began moving closer to the tracks, which represented a connection to the rest of the world. With a population of about 7,100, it is the largest city between San Antonio and Laredo, as well as the county seat of Frio County. Pearsall is surrounded by prime hunting country that attracts sportsmen and women from all over the world.

Area crops:
Many crops prosper in the area thanks to a growing season of 286 days and sandy soil. More than 55 million pounds of peanuts are harvested annually and other large crops include cotton, corn, grain, sorghum, watermelon and cantaloupe, along with vegetables such as potatoes, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onions and cabbage. It is also home to a large honey production area, herb farms and pecan orchards.

Operations:
Industry-wide supply issues in Florida prompted Black Gold to create a spring chip potato production unit in the Pearsall area in 1992. In 1998, a new state-of-the art facility was built west of Pearsall. With a late April annual harvest startup, the area has grown rapidly. Because of the extremely hot conditions here, an in-line hydrocooler was added to the grading facility to increase quality through wet breakdown elimination.

Employees:
Black Gold at Pearsall has close to 10 full-time and about 20 to 30 seasonal employees during harvest, which begins mid-April through late June.