By Kayleen Holder
Editor
This week we would like to feature an awesome family business that is truly “homegrown”. You may have heard of the Mato Tomato Girls, and this is their inspiring story. The Schultz family–Selah Mae (16), Micah (12), and their momma Heather Schultz work together to create a variety of handmade and homegrown goods. Along with the many goods they produce to sell, they also invite customers to get a taste of farming by visiting the farm animals and offering “sustainability classes and campouts” throughout the year.
They also have some exciting news about a future “you-pick” raised bed garden in our community!
“One way we are moving forward in feeding people is with the support of the Texas Department of Ag grant for our raised garden bed project. We are in the second quarter of the grant project and things are moving along nicely. During the project at our home farm, we will outfit a better greenhouse and build an acre of raised garden beds. Our plan is to have the garden easily accessible to our visitors for you-pick vegetables. The Red Barn Community Garden will give customers the opportunity grow their knowledge of where their food comes from and how it is produced naturally, without any use of pesticide or herbicide,” Heather said.
They are about 3 months into the project which is expected to take up to 18 months to get up and running.
The name “Mato Tomato Girls” has a story too. As a young girl, Selah Mae was known for eating every ripe tomato she could get her hands on, straight off her mom’s plants…large or small, it was her’s. Her momma, Heather jokes that she had to plant 10x as many tomato plants to keep up with her little tomato lover. Selah Mae quickly became known as “Mato Tomato” and little did they know, many years later, the family business would be named after her.
The family moved to Devine almost five years ago, where they have just over 10 acres of land. With room to grow their business, they planted a large 50’x100′ garden.
The garden thrived and business grew to include farm-fresh vegetables. They have expanded our vegetable selection to offer additional items by growing in-ground and in hot houses. The vegetables they market come from Devine, Pearsall, Poteet, and northern Bexar County.
The family business has also expanded the business to include even more canned goods which Memaw Lawan also helps with: all types of pickles and pickled veggies like asparagus, okra, green beans, tomatoes, carrots; salsas – mild to spicy; Cowboy’s Candy; jams – with a favorite of Strawberry Habanero; jellies; preserves; and fruit butters; baked goods: cookies, Selah’s mini bread loaves, yeast bread, pies, and occasional sourdough; hand-fashioned soap; homegrown loofah sponges grown on farm; crocheted Plushies, hats, clothing, and more; jewelry; and sewn items: to include recycled and reused Fabric Lined Feed Bag Totes, stuffed Critters, and more items on the way.
Mato Tomato Girls’ home market, the Red Barn Market, is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 am – 6 pm at 918 County Road 5710, Devine (just outside the city limits of Devine) for customers who want to come and shop during the week.
They also offer farm tours to visit the animals while you are there.
Their products can also be found in a local retail establishment, Country Gals Market, as well. Several local restaurants also rely on their fresh vegetables to complete their menus.
Selah Mae is offering baked goods at he new Black Creek Coffee in Devine. Selah invites you to stop by to pick up a slice of pie, muffin, keto friendly, gluten/dairy free Glazed Blueberry Cake Doughnuts, and much more soon to come at the new coffee shop.
“It is a blessing to be able to provide the needed items to these businesses and help reach even more of our community with our naturally grown, quality produce,” Heather said.
MTG also employees 9 full-time and 7 part-time contractors at our multiple locations, including the Red Barn Market.
Business has not always been smooth, Heather notes.
“In May of 2022, our world was rocked to its core. We lost Steven, our main provider and husband/father. His loss brought our family closer together and strengthened us beyond belief. We have grown our business even further after his loss in order to support the family financially,” Heather said.
With every challenge, they strive to make a way through or around the problem, she notes.
“We have struggled with water well issues, drought, and the February 2021 freeze when we lost almost all of our crop in Devine. This led us to begin searching for more land to plant on. We have also struggled with the supply chain issues. Canning jars, specialty flours and sugars are hard to come by at times. We have begun to purchase in bulk quantities, whenever possible,” Heather said.
They also ask customers to return their jars for credit so they can recycle and reuse as much as possible.
“We are not just a produce farm…we are a homestead that is wholly production based. We host many farm animals and use all we can from what they provide to us. At Mato Tomato Girls, we produce all the beef, pork, and chicken meat we consume. We also eat and sell eggs from our 300+ laying chickens, ducks, and turkeys. We save their shed feathers for crafts and jewelry. Our steers are processed, and their hides are tanned for use as leather or skins, and tallow rendered. Our seasonal pigs love to root around our stock tanks, eating all kinds of brush, grass, and grubs along the way. They provide beautiful pork and buckets of lard. Our three goats are named Huey, Dewey, and Louie and are here helping us clear brush.”
Mato Tomato Girls LLC is known for their canned goods and their specific flavors. Their Bread & Butter Pickles and Kosher Dill Pickles are some customer favorites. And of course, you know, the Mato Tomato Girls have to have some great tomato products.
“We make Tomato Preserves from my grandmother’s recipe,” Heather said. “It has become a favorite of our customers. Our homegrown tomatoes are used in all of our salsa and tomato products, as well as sold freshly off the plant in our home’s Red Barn Market and at all of the farmers’ markets we attend each week.”
The family stays busy with markets year-round. Every Saturday you can find the trio at local markets.
“Rain or shine, hot or cold…we market. It is of the utmost importance to be consistent and provide the best source of food to our customers and friends. We currently service most of Medina County, but are looking for ways to expand our reach,” Heather said.
- Every 1st Saturday we attend the First Saturday Market in Devine.
-2nd Saturdays are at the Second Saturday Market in Lytle at Chaparral Pre-owned.
-3rd Saturdays are spent in Castroville at Schattenbol at the DeCock Farmers’ Market.
-The Fourth Saturday of each month is spent in Hondo at the Fourth Saturday Market at the train depot right off of highway 90.
-2nd and 4th Fridays are spent at Spring Creek Gardens in Spring Branch.
“We pride ourselves in shopping local. We don’t just ask our customers to #eatlocal #thinklocal and #supportsmallbusiness, we always shop and eat local first…even if the price is higher than a big box store. When we purchase strawberries for our jam, jelly, and syrups, we purchase from a local favorite organic strawberry farm in Poteet. We do our best to always purchase from locally owned businesses. We also strive to give good counsel to other small businesses. We have helped numerous young entrepreneurs obtain their LLCs, licensing, and other business needs when first starting out. We pride ourselves in having a great relationship and reach with our vendor friends. Our motto is Eat to Live. We strive to provide wholly nutritious ways for our family, friends, and customers to Eat to Live better,” Heather said.
Mato Tomato Girls just received our Food Manufacturer’s License and is a proud GO TEXAN partner. The GO TEXAN program is a Texas Department of Agriculture initiative dedicated to identifying and supporting Texas-based businesses and connecting them with customers across the Lone Star State and around the world.
Heather loves to feed people! She is known for ‘feeding an army’ each time she cooks. When she is choosing seeds for the farm, animals for processing or eggs, or specialty flours for baking, she is looking for the best of the best for her family and yours.
The MTG crew also hosts sustainability classes and campouts throughout the year. American Heritage Girl Troops and homeschool groups visit the farm for learning opportunities and service projects.
You can find Mato Tomato Girls online (Facebook, Instagram, or their website) or visit the farm in person at 918 County Road 5710, Devine. You can call them at 210.710.1176 or email them at matotomatogirls@gmail.com. You can order products online at www.matotomatogirls.com