Big Data for farming: a boon to all or a boondoggle?

After almost 50 years of being on the farm at all hours of the day and all days of the year, regardless of weather or holidays or vacations, I must admit I am a bit skeptical of all the claims being made for all kinds of different data gathering programs, all kinds of fertilizers, additives,…

Growers, buyers and pecan enthusiasts didn’t let the threat of a tropical storm stop them from attending the annual TriState Conference in Monroe, Louisiana on June 22. With a canceled orchard tour and concerns over flash flooding and heavy rain looming, some guests and organizers worried that attendance would be low and travel dangerous. But…

During the recent Texas Pecan Growers Conference there was an excellent panel discussion on “Varietal, Physiological and Climate Effects on Pecan Quality” with panel members being state pecan horticulturists from Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and the Noble Foundation out of Ardmore, OK. During the discussion, one of the important points that was mentioned several…

For the fifth year, U.S. Pecans attended the annual SIAL China Food Show in Shanghai, China. (From left to right) Blair Krebs, Matthew Langford from Diamond Foods and Executive Director Janice Dees worked U.S. Pecans’ booth at the show. The group promotes U.S. pecans to Chinese consumers and buyers. A total of eight pecan companies attended…

A couple of months ago a long-time friend said the 2016 pecan harvest and market was the best in history. Wow, that is saying a lot.  Can pecan prices remain high and when will the supply catch up with the demand?  So what is the future?  What is going to be our major issues and…

Five of Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts’ facilities received an AA rating—the highest quality and safety rating—from the British Retail Consortium’s Global Standard for Food Safety on June 8. In response to the news, Greg Mills president of Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts said: “Over the last year, as part of our continued focus on…

It was dubbed “immersion tour” and structured to give a cadre of public relations specialists a feel for multiple facets of the pecan industry. The American Pecan Council brought its newly engaged team from the Weber Shandwick agency to New Mexico and West Texas on June 5 and 6 to introduce them to the world…

I believe that almost everyone who is involved in pecan production knows about the importance of pecan nut casebearer management and if not they should. In most years, the first generation of casebearers needs insecticide application to prevent an economic loss caused by the start of its activity. Nutlets are small and one larva can…

It is hard to believe we are already in the middle of another growing season. Just as they always are, this year has been anything but normal. First, there was the protracted bud break period due to the lack of adequate chilling hours. We had a couple of Arctic Express cold fronts this past winter,…

There is always “firsts” in the business of Cooperative Extension duties. First time seeing this. first time dealing with that. Back in early to mid-May, just after most catkins were dried up and the pecan female flower pollinated, I experienced a “first” while making farm visits with a certified Pest Control Advisor (PCA) and Certified…

The only indigenous nut to the United States, the pecan has had a long history in our great country. Native Americans were the first to cultivate and eat the pecan, and later, our founding fathers picked up on that tradition. Thomas Jefferson grew acres of pecan trees and inspired George Washington to do the same. Here…

The Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association packed much more than pecan production updates into its one-day educational program June 2 in Ardmore. Weather outlooks, farm transition/succession planning, and pecan tree and revenue insurance programs were spotlighted as well as some typical pest management and production topics. Al Sutherland presented an optimistic the weather outlook for the…

Earlier this year, the Noble Board of Trustees elected to separate the activities of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, and that transition began on May 1, 2017. The organization’s research, education and consultation activities will remain with our existing entity but will continue forward with a new name: Noble Research Institute, LLC. The new name…

We have reached the midpoint of the pecan growing season, and despite some unusual growing conditions, we appear to still have a good crop of nuts on trees in Louisiana. Looking back over the last few months, several articles were written outlining all of the possible adverse responses the pecan trees may have due to…

The Texas Pecan Growers Association has released the educational programming line-up for its 96th Annual Conference and Trade Show, July 9-12, at the Embassy Suites and Conference Center in Frisco, Texas. In addition to pecan production and research presentations by leading pecan scientists from throughout the U.S., TPGA has the privilege of hosting the rollout…

Prep 5 minutes | Cook 10 minutes | Serves 4   Ingredients 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted 1 cup water 1 cup light brown sugar 4 strips orange rind 6-8 shakes orange bitters 1/2 cup bourbon 1/2 cup ground pecans 4 pecan halves Preparation In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring pecans, water, sugar and orange…

NO PRETTIER SIGHT! Georgia photographer Gary Cutrell of Fort Valley captured this beautiful pecan harvest scene in Peach County, Georgia, and was generous enough to share it with Pecan South readers.   JIMENUEZ 2017 — The Jimenez, Mexico, Pecan Growers Association hosted its annual conference, known as Jimenuez, in April. The association’s board organizes the…

Back in September, during their annual meeting, the Mexican pecan growers projected a 2016 crop of approximately 270 million pounds. After 2 consecutive years of record crops, many within the industry greeted the estimate with skepticism even though it is common knowledge that plantings in Mexico continue at a robust pace. On May 5, 2017,…

We all know that orchards prefer well-drained soil with good soil aeration; so it would come as a jolt for any good orchard manager to see a 45-year-old pecan tree in over 18 inches of water for more than six weeks, with full foliage and good catkin development. The pictures shown with this article, taken…

When I am visiting with pecan growers, one topic that seems to come up is proper management of forage for either livestock grazing or for hay production. Working mostly in Oklahoma and North Texas, the majority of the landowners I work with are not just solely pecan producers. These individuals are agriculture producers with diverse…

While I am sure most of you are aware of it, the American Pecan Council, established by the Federal Marketing Order, has largely been put in place with a full board of directors and alternates and now the hiring of an executive director and an assistant. All of this did not happen overnight. But with…

Every year I receive reports of walnut caterpillar activity in Texas and at the time of this writing, I have just received reports and pictures of the start of first-generation activity in Richmond, Texas. This area has had infestations in the urban/residential area now for at least 4 seasons and as one Richmond homeowner just…

The American Pecan Council announced May 11 that Byron Gossett is its newly hired administrative consultant and acting executive director. The Council convened via conference call on May 8 and voted unanimously to offer the position to Gossett. APC’s Governance Committee voted to recommend Gossett for the position after numerous meetings, personal interviews, and reference…

Prep 15 minutes | Cook 30 minutes | Serves 4 (2 wraps per person)   Ingredients 1 lemongrass stalk, finely minced or 2 tablespoons grated lemon or lime zest 4 cloves garlic 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro 1 large shallot, chopped 1 red Fresno or Serrano chili pepper, seeded 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon fish…