Letter from the Editor: “Write to Us”

Back in October, I opened the door to article submissions and pitches. Here at Pecan South, we’re working hard to meet all our readers’ needs and wishes. Our staff has been connecting with new potential contributors, and we’re hoping to bring even more pecan-related content to you soon. But the thing about Pecan South is…

On the morning of April 5, growers throughout Central Texas gathered in the tiny town of Goldthwaite for the annual Central Texas Pecan Short Course. Hosted by Mills County AgriLife Extension Service, the Central Texas Short Course provided local growers an opportunity to earn a total of three Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and to re-learn…

May is another time of year that can feel like a transition. Pecan growers across the country sit on the cusp of the 2018 crop. With this month, we’ve officially entered the part of the season where our focus and energy is needed now more than ever. Sure, harvest is when we hope to truly…

As I was preparing to write this article, I was pondering what to write about this month but then mother nature gave me an unexpected and unwanted topic. Over the weekend of April 7 and 8 temperatures across the northern pecan production areas dropped below freezing. With budbreak having started on several trees in southern…

As we travel through the pecan passage of time, we learn much and develop a production system for our operation. Young or old, rich or poor, beginner or expert—we all develop the best system for our trees. Since there are many pecan techniques and variables, we should never generalize as to what should or should…

Smoky Pecan Dip From Jessie Snyder, Faring Well, through the American Pecan Council Total 30 minutes Ingredients 1 cup fresh pecan halves 3 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 heaping teaspoon smoked hot paprika 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Sea salt, to taste 1/4 to 1/2 cup filtered…

Well, as I sit down to write tonight, it is early April. Spring is here…right? During this first week of April, the forecast was in the low 40s in Louisiana, and the weatherman said there would be over a foot of snow in the northern U.S. by the end of the week. During the last…

Conducted by researchers at Tufts University, a new pecan study was recently published in Nutrients, an open access peer-reviewed scientific journal. This study, titled “A Pecan-Rich Diet Improves Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” examined the link between eating pecans and risk for cardiometabolic diseases in adults who were…

The American Pecan Council met in Dallas, Texas on April 16 and 17 to conduct business. A total of 25 councilmembers were in attendance. During the meeting, the members voted to fill two open council positions. Adam Harrell of Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts will take on the East Alternate Large Sheller position, while Steve…

Kids across America are in great anticipation this month. The weight of school responsibilities has worn their welcome thin, and it’s about all teachers can do to keep their students’ attention for the next several weeks. I’m certainly not a teacher, but I can sympathize with the struggle they are facing. After all, I’m facing…

During the growing season, there are several major nut feeding insects—such as pecan nut casebearer and pecan weevil—whose occurrence in an orchard can be anticipated and treatments are applied based on damage threat. Although these two pests are generally considered the two most important pecan feeding insects and as such can have a tremendous impact…

The country was introduced to American Pecans: The Original Supernut™ on April 25—and consumers may never look at pecans the same way again. The goal of this first-ever national campaign developed by the American Pecan Council is to help consumers realize that pecans are super nutritious, super delicious and super versatile. It’s a new brand…

For 166 days throughout the year, Sandra Pierce is on the road. Hauling a 22-foot trailer packed with educational supplies, Pierce travels around Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma leading an AgriLife agricultural literacy program called “Kids & Kows & More.” Through this program, Pierce has a simple yet all too necessary mission: teach children the…

Over the last few months, Congress has been busy finalizing legislation and working to keep the government open. One focus has been the 2018 Farm Bill, which will need to be finalized soon in order to pass in the coming fall. While representatives and staff hurry through the day to day work of bills and…

Classic Chicken Salad with Pecans From the American Pecan Council Total 40 minutes Ingredients 6 cups water or low sodium vegetable broth 3 large celery stalks, divided 1 onion, peeled and cut into 4 pieces 1/8 teaspoon pepper, plus additional to taste 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (see recipe notes) 3/4 cup toasted…

On Feb. 17, 120 enthusiastic North Carolina pecan growers assembled at the Duplin County Agri Center in Kenansville, North Carolina for the 24th Annual North Carolina Pecan Grower’s Association Educational Workshop. There, all in attendance enjoyed a full day of educational. Many interesting and timely topics engaged all present. Timely pecan topics such as: Five…

Spring has sprung for the pecan industry. This month we will see years of hard work culminate in a national brand launch. Led by Weber Shandwick under the American Pecan Council, this launch will re-introduce the American public to pecans. It seems fitting that during this month—National Pecan Month—pecans will finally take center stage. For…

In my experiences so far in the pecan industry, I have had the pleasure of meeting many fine folks with some outstanding skills. I just returned from the Western Pecan Growers Conference and added new friends to my contacts. It is fascinating to observe the many diverse skills some of us may acquire along our…

Every pecan grower in the entire U.S. will enter their orchards the first week in May to determine if they will have a crop this year. The initiation of female pistillate flowers does not occur until spring of the current season. There is no scientific system for growers to know their crop size before early…

A new study published in Nutrients shows that eating just 1.5 ounces of pecans – one small handful – every day may protect adults at risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, this study…

This is the first of a planned bimonthly series of articles describing the mission and operation of the U.S. Pecan Growers Council (USPGC) and its work in developing overseas markets for American pecans. This first article will cover in brief the background of the USPGC, why it was established, what are its basic mission and…

WEST TEXAS NEW MEXICO Also out in New Mexico, two equipment companies have built new buildings, hoping to service local pecan producers.