Berry Industry, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Sandra McLellan, May. 2003
Special thanks to Jim Perrin for donating it to the archives.

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BERRY INDUSTRY 
1910 -- THE YEAR OF THE BERRY

(The following article was subitted by Jim Perrin, former principal of Martha Vinyard
Elementary School and local historian.  Perrin has published numerous books and articles
about Ponchatoula History)

Published in The Enterprise, 16 April 2003

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Tangipahoa Parish was one of the 
most important strawberry producing areas in the country. A 1917 USDA booklet complied with 
1915 data reported that "Probably no area of equal size produces a larger quantity of berries."

The goverment bulletin reported that the strawberry industry had been in existence for many 
years, but had become an important economic factor since 1910.  The strawberry district 
extended from Ponchatoula to Amite, and was the main cash crop for many local farmers.

The Louisiana strawberry commanded a premium price on the national market because the area 
was the first to ship strawberries in carload lots each spring. Tangipahoa Parish strawberries, 
which had previously been shipped almost solely to Chicago, were shipped to more than 60 
markets from Boston to Seattle in 1915. 

Eighteen different cities received 15 or more railcars of Tangipahoa Parish Berries in 1915, 
including Montreal, Canada, which purchased 25 cars. Although the distribution of Tangipahoa 
Parish strawberries was widespread, Chicago remained the primary purchaser of the luscious 
fruit, receiving 355 of 536 freight cars of strawberries, and 292 of 854 express cars.  About 
73 percent of all strawberies received in Chicago came from Tangipahoa Parish. The majority of 
the parish berry crop was sent by express cars, especially to the more distant markets.

Almost all strawberry growers in this area were members of local shipping associations. The 
associations charged about a nickel per crate to handle the berries and credited the farmer for 
the amount due him. The association rendered valuable assistance to growers by advancing fund 
each year for the purchase of plants, feed, fertilizer, shipping crates, and other necessary 
items.

Northern brokerage firms sent buyers to Ponchatoula during the berry searson to purchase 
carload lots of berries at auction. Almost all of the Ponchatoula crop was sold at such auctions.  
The auctions worked well at Ponchatoula because this community had a reputation for "producing 
superior berries."

According to the government report of 1917, Ponchatoula was the only point in the United 
States where full carloads of berries were sold at auction. The success of the auctions at 
Ponchatoula did not pass unnoticed and a larger auction system was later established at 
Hammond.

Two types of strawberry crates were in use in Tangipahoa Parish in 1915.  The unventilated 
(Hallock) type with solid sides and more successful ventilated (Dahlstrom) crate that featured 
slatted sides. The slatted side crate allowed for a better flow of air inside the refrigerated cars 
taking the berries to distant markets.

Chicago buyers reported that berried packed in the ventilated crates generally arrived in the 
Windy City in better condition.  The ventilated crates came into general use within a few years.

In 1915, for the first time, labels representing the various associations were first used. Buyers 
liked the labels and farmers in Ponchatoula liked having their superior berries recognized as that 
would help bring a higher price at auction.

Tangipahoa Parish growers received high prices for their berries in the northern markets during 
most of the season of 1915.  The standard crate of 24 quart containers sold for between $6.50 
and $7.50 on the wholesale market during the peak of the season. Because of the high quality of 
Tangipahoa Parish berries, there was little variation in market price between the best and 
poorest fruit.

The State of Louisiana shipped 1,400 railroad cars of strawberries in 1915, almost all of them 
leaving from Tangipahoa Parish. Independence led the parish with 405 carloads, followed by 
Hammond with 362 and Ponchatoula sent 190 cars. Amite shipped 116 carloads; Tickfaw, 103; 
and Mason sent 18, with an equivalent of 206 carloads listed as pickups, which were less than 
fully packed cars.

Louisiana was not the top shipper of berries duing this period, as Maryland, Delaware, and 
Tennessee each produced more of the sweet fruit. Florida and California produced about 
one-third of Louisiana's total. Tangipahoa Parish farmers, although they did not out produce 
some other states, were able because of the climate to get their fruit to market early in the 
season and claim premium prices.

In the years following 1915, stawberry prodution increased greatly and Ponchatoula became the 
largest shipping point for strawberries. Thus the strawberry industry of 1915 and earlier years 
was the precusor of an enterprise that would soon dominate the local economy and influence 
generations to come.