A Legacy Grown in the Trees

There is something beautiful about sitting back on the porch, watching the sunset, and cracking pecans with people who care to listen to you. That’s exactly what you get when you visit Jim and his wife, Robyn’s pecan orchard. Tucked away in Anna, Texas, just north of the Dallas–McKinney area, is Foster Crossing Pecans. Jim Luscombe’s great-great-grandfather purchased the land in 1914. The name ‘Foster Crossing’ goes back even further to the days when an old stagecoach road ran along one side of the property.

In my conversation with Jim, he explained, “when the railroad came into town in the 1870s, wherever it crossed the road, they’d name it after the family living there, and the Foster family lived here. So, the intersection was named ‘Foster Crossing,’ and that name has been around ever since”. He added, “we’ve enjoyed having that name, and we’ve stayed true to the location of the orchard by keeping it.”

Over the years, the Luscombe family has enjoyed the fruitfulness of the native groves, and many family members eventually found their preferred tree on the property. Jim recounted, “Of course, my dad grew up here on this farm, and he would tell me about his favorite native trees, and he could remember which trees produced the kind of pecan he liked the best.” In the winter months, Robyn’s parents visited to escape the chill of the northern cold. Jim explained, “her dad wound up with a favorite tree down there at the bottom of the grove that produced a pretty nice native pecan, and we ended up naming that tree the ‘Bob Johnsen Pecan’, after him.” Even today, Jim’s family walks through the orchard each fall to pick native pecans.

With a deep history of the area, the orchard brings a sense of nostalgia to all its visitors. Naturally, having a successful orchard and retail shop doesn’t happen overnight. Jim took the time to tell me parts of his story and give a better look into Foster Crossing Pecans.

Jim describes his early days in the business sector, and as a proud graduate of A&M University, he was well-equipped to take on a challenge. Growing up surrounded by his family’s native pecan trees, he eventually felt a pull to build on that legacy and shape the orchard with more intention. As Jim sat at the top of a hill, looking down at the native pecan trees scattered throughout the property, he had the idea to intentionally plant improved varieties in the open spaces. Once the idea took root in his head, he made the move to plant new trees. Jim says a little over two decades ago, he picked up his first batch of trees from Larry Jim Womack of Womack Nursery in De Leon, TX, and to help advise him on the perfect pecan variety to purchase for planting, he attended the Texas A&M Short Course, an experience he described as “invaluable.”

After weighing advice from other growers and doing his own research, he settled on ‘Pawnee’ and ‘Desirable’ as the foundation of his improved orchard. He noted how well they fit the rainfall, pest pressure, and growing conditions of his part of North Texas. “I’ll tell you what, I was blessed with that recommendation because Pawnee has emerged as one of the top commercial pecans,” Jim said. Beyond their performance in the region, Jim also chose these varieties with an eye toward efficiency. He noted that the kernels from both ‘Pawnee’ and ‘Desirable’ are similar in size. That intentional match meant he could design his processing setup around a single size range instead of investing in multiple sets of equipment. It’s an element that may seem small, but it has made a meaningful difference in how smoothly the operation runs. He clarified that another advantage of pairing these two varieties is timing. ‘Pawnee’ is ready for harvest first, followed by ‘Desirable’ a few weeks later. That natural stagger allows Jim and his crew to work steadily across the orchard rather than facing a single overwhelming harvest window. It’s a rhythm that fits Jim’s harvesting style, carefully curated over the last 20 years.

While Jim is hard at work in the orchard, managing his trees and the land, his wife, Robyn, is running their retail shop. He says the operation is a partnership, as Robyn’s role is central to the way Foster Crossing Pecans runs today. With a keen eye for detail, she is a huge part of their business. Jim explains, “she takes the lead on the retail side since she is particularly skilled at merchandising and putting things together. She gets busy in the shop as soon as harvest starts.” In their community, many people come out to visit Robyn, catch up on Foster Crossing’s front porch, and crack pecans. Beyond that, Jim remembers the moment Robyn spotted a small pecan processing plant for sale in a neighboring town. She called him and, half‑joking, told him she needed some money. He agreed, still unsure what she meant, until she added, “no, I need a little bit more money than that.” Only then did she explain she’d found a pecan processing operation for sale in a nearby town. Her instinct was simple: if they were going to bring in pecans, they should be able to process them themselves. That call set the orchard into its next chapter. Jim drew on his early business experience and moved forward with the purchase, knowing it would allow them to integrate their business vertically and give them the freedom to grow, process, and sell their pecans without relying on an outside facility. “We were able to take the product all the way from the orchard to the final product that goes to the retail buyers.” For Jim, it felt right not to depend on anyone else for other parts of the job, and in the end, it greatly reduced his operating costs.

As the orchard and business grew, so did the ways Jim and Robyn brought their pecans to customers. In the early days, they would haul their freshly harvested pecans up the road, bundled in heavy coats, and sell them at farmers’ markets after harvest. Eventually, they built enough of a local following to bring the business back to the barn and began to share the beauty of their orchard with the community.

They pursued advertising opportunities in newspapers and even with a billboard. Later, local news outlets in the North Dallas area caught wind of their orchard, bringing visitors from all over in search of fresh pecans. “In early October and November, you should see the crowds coming through the orchard,” he says. Today, the way people find local businesses has changed, and that is reflected in how Foster Crossing Pecans stays connected with its customers. “Now, there aren’t as many newspapers, and people don’t pay close attention to the billboards going eighty miles an hour, so we evolve,” Jim says. Their online presence has expanded to include a thoughtful website and an active Facebook following. They offer pecans in many forms, premium halves, chopped pieces, whole in-shell paper‑shelled nuts, gift packs, and even “squirrel‑grade” discards, perfect for feeding wildlife, birds, or livestock. The newest development that the Luscombes are excited about is their companion website and Etsy shop to sell pecan-themed merchandise, headlined by a fun new character, ‘Pecan Pete’. The hope is that even if people can’t make it to the orchard, they can still have a laugh and enjoy some pecans by ordering online.

Even as its reach has grown, the orchard remains deeply rooted in its community. Jim keeps the grove in park‑like condition, and local groups, from school programs to service clubs, regularly come out for tours, seasonal work, or even to pick pecans for charity. He says the goal has always been to keep pecans local and to make sure people here know what truly fresh pecans taste like, far better than what most grocery shelves can offer. With Anna and the surrounding counties now among the fastest‑growing in the nation, that commitment to local freshness has only become more important. Jim explains, “we are in one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, and when we started planting pecan trees in Anna, we only had about two thousand people; we have now passed thirty thousand. So, I have thousands of potential customers all around me right now.”

For now, Jim says, since his trees are in prime production, the focus has shifted from planting new trees to improving and maintaining the high-quality nuts he strives to produce. Soon, he hopes to add bat houses for pest management and is always looking for more organic, natural ways to address scab and pests. Eventually, he hopes to utilize innovations such as drones and satellite imagery to deliver sprays and chemicals, address water needs, and help him monitor disease.
When everything is said and done, and the barn doors are closed, Jim thinks about his long‑term goals and the legacy he hopes to continue to build on. He says this operation is a dream come true. His closest family lives nearby, and he can spend time with his grandchildren every day. “By adding to the orchard and being able to take care of the land, the trees, and make so much progress on it, I hope it’s set up right for the next generation or two,” Jim says. He adds, “this season, for the first time, we’ve had the oldest granddaughter help on the retail side.” So, the legacy continues with one generation stepping in alongside Robyn, learning the shop’s rhythm, and already winning over customers.

Jim is quick to point out that he hasn’t done any of this alone. Not only has his family been working with him to help him pursue his dream, but other industry members have been right alongside him as well. He credits the Texas Pecan Growers Association (TPGA) for its advocacy, education, and sharing of research and grower knowledge. He appreciates their recommendation, which led to his serving as a pecan‑pie judge at the State Fair of Texas, an experience he still remembers fondly. He also thanks Texas A&M and the Short Course, along with Larry Don Womack’s father, who helped supply his first trees and encouraged continued learning. He mentions other industry members, such as Jim Smith in Oklahoma, Troy Swift of Swift River Pecans, and Basil Savage, who was both a generous resource and the developer of much of his equipment.

So, the next time you need some front‑porch pecan‑cracking therapy, feel the urge to share a warm conversation with your community, or want to stop by for a bag of tasty fresh pecans, you’ll find it all waiting for you at Foster Crossing Pecans. It’s a place that values community, family, and, of course, fresh pecans grown with care which keeps people coming back season after season.