A Farewell Salute to Sammy Helmers

It is once again time to bid a final farewell to one of Extension Horticulture’s finest: Dr. Sammy G. Helmers. It seems the Good Lord was in need of a new “storyteller” and our own Dr. Helmers was called in for the job on Nov. 15, 2016. Since we are talking about our one and…

The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) has released its latest Global Statistical Review with production trends for almonds, Amazonia (Brazil) nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, dates, dried apricots, dried figs, prunes, raisins, sultanas and currants for 2016-17. In the 2015/16 season, world tree nut production has been…

  The annual Texas Pecan Shortcourse, sponsored by Texas A&M Agrilife Extension and Texas A&M University, is a comprehensive class aimed at preparing individuals to enter the pecan business. The 2017 event will be Jan. 23-26 and online registration is available. All aspects of commercial pecan production are covered during the 4-day class, from basic…

This month I have had 4 people indicate our price of $10 per pound for shelled pecans is too low. Each grower has to determine a price that works for his orchard. For many or most, the goal is to is sell field-cleaned in-shell nuts with a good percent kernel for the variety. The no-marketing-worry…

Indianapolis, Indiana recently hosted the 89th annual National FFA Convention where Oologah, Oklahoma FFA member, Jesse Rader, was recognized on stage as one of the top 4 Fruit Proficiencies in the nation. His proficiency qualified for national competition last spring, after winning first place at the Oklahoma State FFA Convention with his Fruit Proficiency for…

With the increased interest in pecans, I have received several calls over the past 2 years about how to clear native pecan bottoms to bring them into production and start a pecan enterprise. During these discussions, I normally recommend using heavy equipment to clear these bottoms of undesirable tree species and underbrush, and thinning out…

The newly elected American Pecan Council convened its first face-to-face meeting Nov. 16-17 at the Houston Airport Marriott. Eight USDA representatives and 9 of the Council’s alternate members participated in the 1.5-day session along with the 15 growers and shellers recently elected to the Council. Last month as Pecan South was sent to print, election…

The 2016 pecan harvest did not end positively for many growers in Texas — especially it seems in the eastern region of the state. In a year of favorable market prices, growers were frustrated to not be able to deliver top quality and receive top prices. Incomplete kernel filling was realized in some orchards. Dark…

During October of this year, a new Texas county record for pecan weevil was made in Comal County near the Guadalupe River south of Canyon Lake. This new detection raises some serious concerns because the Guadalupe River and the counties within its watershed area are prime pecan production regions. With this new detection, this is…

ARDMORE, Okla. — Six national institutions have become the first multistate and multidisciplinary study to receive funding specifically to work on pecans. Researchers at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, New Mexico State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), University of Georgia, University of Arizona and the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, recently…

Attracting northern pecan growers from 5 states, Ralph and Karen Voss hosted a fall harvest tour of their farm near Carlyle, Ilinois. For many growers, a visit to Voss Pecans was an opportunity to see a productive pecan orchard and the machinery used to harvest, clean and crack a pecan crop in action. The tour…

This month’s column is a bit different in that it does not deal with typical production or post-harvest pest problems but rather presents information on a real potential threat to producers. The following information has been taken from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension publication, ENTO-052, “What Texans Need to Know about Zika Virus,” written by…

As this issue of Pecan South was going to print, the industry was awaiting results of the election for the inaugural American Pecan Council, the industry board that will oversee and administer the new Federal Marketing Order for pecans. An announcement was anticipated before the end of October with the Council’s first meeting to be…

All too often I hear native growers complain that they have little or no crop because wet weather in the spring prevented pecan pollination. The truth of the matter is that a few rain storms during pollination rarely prevent nut set in native groves. When someone complains about lack of pollination, I immediately suspect the…

In early October, growers were offered an afternoon and evening of pecan education and networking in southern Oklahoma. Those who wanted a seminar and demonstration in pecan tree planting headed over to Baker Pecan Tree Nursery in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Charles Rohla from the Noble Foundation and Becky Carroll from the Oklahoma State University pecan program joined Roger Baker,…

USDA released its 2016 pecan crop estimate (see next page) on Oct. 12 with the following statement. “Production is forecast at 263 million pounds (utilized, in-shell basis), up 3 percent from 2015. Improved varieties are expected to produce 239 million pounds or 91 percent of the total. The native and seedling varieties are expected to…

Pecans need two main things to grow and be productive: water and sunlight. Everything else is secondary. It’s been proven time and time again. Take care of these two things and everything else gets much easier. Since we have access to good water and most orchards are now well irrigated, sunlight becomes the most limiting…

When the National Pecan Shellers Association met for its annual meeting in September, topics requiring immediate responses and compliance within the industry were featured on the program — including Food Safety Modernization Act compliance and implementation of the newly enacted federal marketing order. NPSA’s legal counsel, Dick Wood of the Wood Burditt Group in Chicago,…

We are up and running with our 2016 harvest at the A&M pecan orchard.  Most Texas growers outside the far west are through harvesting their ‘Pawnee’ and are now picking ‘Desirables.’  The results are too early to tell; it has been a year of rain, no rain, and rain.  We had great rains in the…

The pecan industry was well-represented at the Oct. 14-16 Produce Marketing Association’s 67th Annual Fresh Summit Convention in Orlando, Florida. Two associations and four individual companies had booths to showcase pecans to buyers at the annual event, which attracted 20,889 attendees from 65 countries. Over 1,200 exhibitors participated. The exhibiting companies showcased new products, trends,…

Ballots have been mailed and elections are underway to fill the grower and handler seats for the American Pecan Council. Once seated, the Council’s first priority will be to develop a budget and set the assessment rate for the 2016-17 crop year. However, this important planning and budgeting phase is not expected to be complete…

When driving around South Georgia, it is hard to not come across pecan trees in orchards big and small. In the beginning of September, there was a lot to look at — from heavily pecan-loaded branches to downed trees and damage from Hermine, a hurricane that came through the state on Sept. 2-3. The Georgia…

My lifelong friend and pecan hero, Mark Salopek of Las Cruces, New Mexico, passed away on Aug. 21 after a hard fight with cancer. We were students together at Texas A&M University in 1969-70 when his father called him home to make their pecan deal work. He and his brothers James and Ben returned home…

Last month, Monte Nesbitt shared information on the impact that above-average precipitation has had on pecan scab infection on several new varieties. Early spring rains allowed researchers and growers to get a unique look at how pecan nuts would fair when exposed to extreme scab pressure. While this provided us with great information on scab…