Tim Hartmann: From family roots to Texas fruits

Family legacy fuels statewide fruit specialist’s research and education for Texas producers

October 9, 2025 - by Adam Russell

Tim Hartmann’s late grandfather lived vicariously through him when Hartmann was younger, and in some ways, he still lives on through Hartmann’s work.

For Hartmann, Ph.D., assistant professor and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide fruit specialist in the Department of Horticultural Sciences, growing fruit isn’t just a profession — it is a family calling.

Tim Hartmann, Ph.D., standing in an orchard. — Research and educational outreach by Tim Hartmann, Ph.D., is shaping Texas fruit production. Fruit trials across the state test new varieties for producers, large and small, paving the way for new options and opportunities for growers and fruit lovers. (Chris Swann/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Hartmann credits his grandfather Hilmar Hartmann — affectionally known as Opa — for sparking his curiosity for horticulture. Opa was a lifelong learner, interested in everything about horticulture, who eagerly and often called AgriLife Extension agents and specialists to talk about the latest farming methods. He also participated in trials to provide the specialists with feedback on new varieties’ performance.

Although Opa’s formal education ended after the eighth grade to work on the family farm, he became known across the New Braunfels area for grafting and cultivating exceptional fruit trees like peaches, persimmons and pecans, all while raising cattle, chickens and vegetables he sold to travelers between Austin and San Antonio, and working the night shift at Mission Valley Mills.

“Opa loved trading knowledge,” Hartmann said. “He would’ve loved to have been an Aggie and had incredible respect for the horticultural scientists at Texas A&M and their innovative approaches. He instilled his passion but also that drive to learn and pass knowledge on.”

That spirit still drives Hartmann today.

Carrying a legacy of learning in horticulture

By age 6, Hartmann had his first plant — an airplane plant gifted by his maternal grandmother. More than three decades later, it still sits in his greenhouse as a living connection to her.

While Hartmann’s parents also instilled a love for gardening in him, early learning moments during extended summer visits to Opa’s farm propelled him toward academics at Texas A&M and a career in horticulture.

Tim Hartmann's grandfather (right) with his wife and grandkids picking wildflowers. — Tim Hartmann’s grandfather was an early influence on his passion for fruit production. Hilmar (far right in both photos) was known for his ability to graft trees and the fruit, including peaches and pecans, he produced. (Courtesy photos)

Tim Hartmann stands between his grandmother and grandfather. — Tim Hartmann’s grandfather was an early influence on his passion for fruit production. Hilmar (far right in both photos) was known for his ability to graft trees and the fruit, including peaches and pecans, he produced. (Courtesy photos)

In fact, Opa’s passion for farming and admiration for Texas A&M still ripples throughout the family. Six of his 12 grandchildren, including Hartmann, went to Texas A&M to pursue agriculture-related degrees. Hartmann earned three.

“There’s so much passion and pride in my family in what we do,” Hartmann said. “I see that same passion and pride in our growers. It’s that farm-to-table, do-it-yourself mentality. That’s why I love it.”

Advancing fruit science with solutions for Texas

Hartmann’s work has taken him many places in horticulture, from research labs and classrooms to greenhouses, landscape nurseries, vegetable fields and orchards. While he is an expert in the horticultural sciences, he knows there is always something new to learn or explore.

He leads statewide variety trials to test the performance of traditional and new fruit crops and root stocks, from peaches and apples to apricots, pineapple guava, golden kiwifruit and figs.

Tim Hartmann, Ph.D., inspects a fruit tree. — Tim Hartmann collaborates with growers and a broad spectrum of Texas A&M AgriLife experts to spur innovation in fruit varieties that perform well under Texas conditions. (Chris Swann/Texas A&M AgriLife)

His applied research helps both home gardeners and commercial producers. He also mentors undergraduate and graduate students and trains Texas Master Gardener volunteers and teaches the undergraduate Temperate Fruit and Nut Production course.

By collaborating across the department on a spectrum of topics from plant genetics to breeding to alternative-protected growing systems like high tunnels, Hartmann aims to accelerate innovation and resilience in Texas fruit production.

Hartmann’s Opa lived to see and appreciate his grandson’s work. One of Hartmann’s favorite memories comes from 2019, when despite the frailty of age, Opa traveled to the Texas Fruit Conference in nearby New Braunfels to see his grandson’s presentation on the specialty crop potential of kiwifruit and pineapple guava.

“It’s a special memory for me, and I think it was special for him to see me end up in a role that he had a lot of respect for as a farmer,” Hartmann said. “We are doing a lot of new and exciting things for fruit in Texas, and to be a part of that is a dream come true. He knew that, and I think it made him proud.”