Brad Stull, Mary Ann Constanzo and Michael Adamek work together to operate Constanzo Farms, Inc., in Atascosa. The 700-acre farm was started by Mary Ann’s grandfather in 1915. Her father, Tony Constanzo Jr., took over the farm in 1932 and began a business relationship with H.E.B. foods company. The partnership grew over the years and continues today.
--Staff photo by Rost
A Lasting Tradition... Farm’s legacy built on hard work and good partnerships
By CAROLYN ROST, Country World staff writer
March 20, 2008 - For some people, a job is just a job. For others, their job is their way of life - a life they truly love. For generations, the Constanzo family has truly loved their life in agriculture.
“I’m real proud of farming. I used to do the pipes, the irrigation, the tractor work. Everything. I love farming,” said Mary Ann Constanzo, owner of Constanzo Farms, Inc.. The farm, located in Atascosa, specializes in all types of vegetables.
Mary Ann, along with her son and co-owner Michael Adamek and business partner Brad Stull, manage close to 700 acres of vegetables and coordinate the delivery of 18-wheeler loads of produce to their number one buyer - H.E.B. foods company.
The four generation business began in 1915 when Tony Constanzo Sr. arrived with his family from Italy and bought property in southwest Bexar County. At a young age, Mary Ann’s father, Tony Jr., quit school and began helping his father.
“He would go down in the Model A to the market, with no windshield at two o’clock in the morning, and he sold vegetables,” Mary Ann said.
In 1932, Tony Jr. took over the business and began the long lasting relationship with H.E.B., selling produce to the store on a cash basis. For many years, Tony Jr. and his brother handled the farming operations.
Mary Ann, who suffered from a heart condition, was able to help her father with the daily chores.
“I was with my dad helping him irrigate or in the truck driving around having a lot of fun or working with the employees. I couldn’t play, so I was just with my dad most of the time. I love to get dirty. It’s a wonderful, wonderful life.”
In 1982, Mary Ann and her mother, Mae, joined the family business, “working as a team to build the farm to what it is today.” Two years, later, when her uncle passed away, Mary Ann took over the business. Her son, Michael, has been with the business for six years, coming back to the farm to lend a hand.
“She was taking care of my grandparents a lot more and they needed some more help out here,” he said.
In 1996, Mary Ann had already solicited Brad’s help and she felt like he was family — treating him just like a son. All three say they love the farm and are proud of who they are. At this time, Constanzo Farm is the oldest producer for H.E.B.
“As H.E.B. grew, we grew,” said Michael.
Their relationship is a special one.
“They care a lot about us and we care a lot about them,” said Mary Ann. “That’s who we work for. We are a family. I feel like they are our partners. H.E.B. is our life.”
The Constanzo family even appears in recent H.E.B. television commercials. Mary Ann is thankful that her dad, who passed away last November at the age of 92, was able to see it. In the commercial, Tony Jr. said he had a true passion for growing vegetables. According to Michael, his grandfather could grow anything.
“It was amazing. If he found a seed on a drive somewhere, he would stop on the side of the road, dig up the plant and take it home and always cared for it. Nobody else I’ve ever seen has done one thing his entire life and loved it so much that he even wanted to do it when he was asleep or sick or anything else.”
Today, the Constanzo Farm remains dedicated to growing quality vegetables, vegetables they are proud to put their name on.
“We have twist ties on all of our produce with our names on it,” said Mary Ann. “We are very proud of our farm so we definitely don’t send out bad stuff with our name on it.”
They also buy from other area farmers, “giving them opportunities to excel in their own lives,”she said.
Although they enjoy vegetable farming, they admit it is not always easy. Unlike other farmers, the Constanzo Farm does not receive any subsidies.
“It is hard out there,” she said. “We do not get compensated for losing crops at all. But like my dad said, if you plant a crop, you water it, you take care of it, and you sell it. We get no government subsidies or insurance. He believed that and we believe it too. We plant it. If we lose it, we lose it. I tell the boys, just save your money.”
When the crop is good, the effort is well worth it.
“That’s one of the rewards when you make a crop and you get to fill a truck with it,” Brad said. “You know it’s going all over Texas to H.E.B. You go to H.E.B. and there it is on the shelves and people are consuming it. That’s a good feeling.”
At Constanzo Farm, vegetables are grown year-round.
“Our year starts, at least from a plant standpoint, around the fourth of July,” he said. “That’s when we start all the fall stuff and that stuff carries all the way through the winter back around into the spring. We have spring plantings of all the greens and leafy vegetables.”
Also in the spring, squash, peppers and okra are also started.
“That goes through until the first freeze. So it’s overlapping. There are times when we have the summer crops and the leafy vegetables too. It’s just a cycle.”
According to Brad, they have leafy greens available 10 months out of the year - from August to early June. When he came to work for the farm, the longer leaf time was one of the main things Tony Jr. taught him. For all he was taught, Brad is very thankful and appreciative and stressed the importance of teaching others.
“In his 80th year of life, when I met him and he met me, most people are done with life. They are, like, ‘I’m 65. I’m retired. I’m done. He took me under his wing at 80 years old and taught me for over 10 years. My point is, don’t ever quit teaching people. Don’t ever quit teaching the young people about agriculture and about things. You never know what year of your life you are going to impact somebody.”
