Shrimping West Texas

I’m a Louisiana girl. When I think of shrimp, I think of Cajun waders and boats on the water. I think of the blessing of the fleet, where the trawlers are prayed over and blessed for a good year. (It’s a party. Most everything in Louisiana is an excuse for a party.) What I don’t think of is landlocked ponds, dry desert heat, and the middle of West Texas. But that’s exactly what you’ll find in Shrimping West Texas.

You might think nonfiction books are a drag. Admittedly, some of them are. Shrimping West Texas is not one of those. Bart Reid writes in a conversational style that’s easy to read, and he clearly knows a lot on his topic. He’s one of those folks who can communicate a lot of very technical information about something he’s passionate about to where someone not familiar with the subject can understand (most of) what he’s talking about.

And I could grasp a lot of the details he gives about shrimp farming. I learned a lot from the book. I figured it was hard work. My dad was a farmer in the traditional sense – soybeans, cotton, corn. I know agriculture of any stripe is hard work. But I’ll tell you what, shrimp farming sounds like a whole different level of backbreaking and exhausting. I figure you’ve got to feel strongly about it to push through and get it done.

Reid describes the people who worked with him (and sometimes against him) with such feeling and detail, I came away feeling almost like I know them, too. It’s mind-boggling to think how many people were willing to work against what must have felt like pretty stiff odds to make the West Texas shrimp farms a reality. It was also an eye-opener to realize how hard some people would work against something new and different, and how cutthroat the agriculture industry can be. And God bless Patsy, Reid’s wife, for being willing to pull up stakes and head out with him to chase his dream! I wonder how crazy she thought he was when he first hit on this idea.

And I never expected this, but this book has recipes! In addition to the shrimp farm, Reid and his wife also ran the Shrimp Store. Recipes from that endeavor are included in the book, and they sound delicious. I can’t wait to try them. Honestly, I’m disappointed I didn’t know about these West Texas shrimp when the farm was a going concern. I lived in Texas then, and I might could have gotten my hands on some to try. It sounds like they were top-notch.

If you like reading about somewhat quirky topics and learning something as you do, if you like a book that feels almost like a discussion with a friend, pick up Shrimping West Texas. You may love it as much as I did! This is definitely one of the surprises of the year for me, and may be in the running for my favorites of 2024 list.