10/28/2026
The Lavacaberry was a hybrid berry that revitalized the economy of Lavaca, after its extensive planting began in the late 1930s and 1940s. Originating from California plants purchased in 1927, the berry thrived in local soil. This led to hundreds of acres being dedicated to growing them and establishment of the Lavaca Berry Growers Association. Agricultural experts later determined the fruit was a synonym of the boysenberry, local growers officially named it the "Lavacaberry" and distributed it nationwide under the "Sugar Loaf" brand. The industry peaked in the 1940s,even moving over 600,000 pounds of berries in a single day in 1943, but eventually collapsed in the late 1950s due to out-of-state competition, leading to the closure of the local berry shed.
