Letter from the Editor: “How have you been?”
Dear Readers, How’ve you been? What’s on your mind? I’ve been doing pretty good. Creating this edition was somewhat stressful, simply because we just wrapped up our consumer magazine, Pieces of Pecan, but overall, it went better than I thought and we met deadline. May is Mental Health Month. It’s time for us to check...
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Letter from the Editor: “Happy National Pecan Month!”
Dear Readers, April means it’s time to celebrate our favorite nut. Happy National Pecan Month! We can use these next four weeks to highlight pecans’ tremendous health benefits, unique flavor, and versatility with friends, family, and customers. It’s also a time for us to connect with fellow industry members and focus on a new growing...
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Letter from the Publisher
Dear Pecan South Readers, Another pecan harvest has finished in the United States; for many, it was not the things dreams are made of. Some saw a good year, but many others are glad to see 2022 behind them. However, as a new growing season emerges and the industry starts to gather at conferences in...
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Letter from the Editor: “Dad’s Hands”
Dear Readers, I am excited to announce the winner of our fourth annual Harvest Photo Contest—“Dad’s Hands,” taken by Lindsay Holcomb. Lindsay entered this photo of her father Joe Thomas after harvest hoping to surprise him. “Harvesting pecans is something I grew up doing with my dad in Atoka and Bryan County, Oklahoma. We are...
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Letter from the Editor: “No Time Like the Present”
Dear Readers, Happy New Year! I hope 2023 is treating you well so far. This time of year often revolves around the future. Although we reflect on the past year, we spend so much energy and time on what’s to come. We set resolutions, create yearly goals, and dream of how this year may differ...
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Letter from the Editor: “Happy Holidays!”
Dear Readers, The holidays always bring forth a time of reflection on our lives, our work over the past year, and what’s to come. We capture moments of joy and fun while celebrating the obstacles we overcame and contemplating the challenges we faced. This December harvest continues through the Pecan Belt, and growers and industry...
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Letter from the Editor: “Happy Thanksgiving!”
Dear Readers, Each day new pecans fall from the trees and enter barns and warehouses across the Northern Hemisphere. Elsewhere in the world, trees bloom with catkins and flowers and new growth, readying next year’s crop. As the season continues here in the United States and Mexico, we celebrate another harvest and give thanks for...
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Letter from the Editor: “Our Annual Harvest Photo Contest returns!”
Dear Readers, Harvest is in full swing! Growers across Texas, Oklahoma, and most Southeast have started (or are just about to start) shaking trees and bringing in fresh pecans. And with harvest comes…you guessed it—Pecan South’s annual Harvest Photo Contest! For the fifth year, we invite you to enter photos of your orchard, harvest, or...
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Letter from the Editor: “Rest is never selfish.”
Dear Readers, “Rest is never selfish.” I heard this phrase recently after a hard day at work. This phrase screamed out at me in a moment of quiet contemplation. When our schedules and lives become filled with tasks and lists and responsibilities, it is easy for us to get caught up in what we “must...
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Letter from the Editor: “Preparing for Harvest”
Dear Reader, Heat waves, droughts, gales, tropical storms—weather woes continue as we push further into the season and prepare for harvest. Leading up to harvest, growers across the Northern Hemisphere check their trees and monitor kernel development. Shellers and buyers track their inventory and prepare new contracts and sales. And everyone prays for rain and...
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July 2022 Letter from the Editor: “The Waiting Game”
Dear Readers, We’ve reached that time of year when we finally get a grasp on the coming crop. With about two months until harvest kicks off in the Northern Hemisphere, growers across the Pecan Belt monitor their developing pecans closely. Meanwhile, the industry shares state crop estimates from various growers’ associations. (Pecan South will publish...
Letter from the Editor: “Better Together”
Dear Readers, Conference season picks up again this month, with industry groups meeting in the central and southeast regions. In the coming weeks, pecan growers will gather for the TriState Pecanference and the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Conference for orchard tours, educational programs, and camaraderie. Then in early July, the Texas Pecan Growers Association hosts its...
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Letter from the Editor: “A Time of Possibilities”
Dear Readers, This month leaves expand and pecan pollination begins, signaling the onset of nut production and another crop. We’re in that transitional phase between spring and summer, between what could be and what is. In this in-between time, we still face the worries and concerns of yesterday, but we also harness great hope. And...
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Letter from the Editor: Let’s celebrate this National Pecan Month
Dear Readers, Happy National Pecan Month! We’ll be celebrating our favorite nut all month long and sharing its tremendous health benefits with friends, family, and customers. I also have some excellent pecan industry news that’ll make this month extra special for you. On page 8 of this Pecan South, you’ll find an article from the...
Letter from the Publisher: 55 years with pecans
Dear Readers, This issue starts Pecan South’s 55th volume, and the publisher, I get to address the readership with the start of each new volume. Of course, Pecan South did not start as Pecan South 55 years ago. It all started in May of 1967 as The Pecan Quarterly, with fantastic diagrams of inlay grafting,...
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Letter from the Editor: “Morning Shade”
Dear Readers, I am happy to announce the winner of our fourth annual Harvest Photo Contest—“Morning Shade,” submitted and taken by Lanessa and Matt Dowden. The Dowdens share a peaceful moment in their orchard, Calianna Pecan Farms, in Effie, Louisiana. Congratulations, Matt and Lanessa! Thank you for sharing this photo with us. Readers, you can...
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Letter from the Editor: “Welcoming 2022”
Dear readers, Happy New Year! We’ve made it to 2022. This past year low production strengthened the market and brought higher prices for many growers. But still, those prices are not enough to ease concerns for the coming 2022 crop and harvest. Industry members face rising input costs, continued logistics and labor issues, and much...
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Letter from the Editor: “Happy Holidays!”
Dear readers, As we enter the holiday season, I like to reflect not on the difficulties of this past year but rather on the moments of joy. The market returned stronger, growers across the country reported higher crop quality, and some industry members gathered in person again. Although many challenges await us—as they always do—we...
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Letter from the Editor: “Thank you for your readership”
Dear Readers, Almost every year at this time I find myself wondering where all those days have gone. There’s no melancholy—usually just an observation that time passes so quickly we don’t even notice. This year feels different, though. The days continue to fly by as they do. But this year, much like 2020, has moved...
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Letter from the editor: Harvest Photo Contest
Dear readers, Across the United States and Mexico, producers shake trees, collect pecans, and prepare for a new crop. Shellers and buyers scour the market and make contracts, while retailers look to fill their inventories before the holiday season. With harvest now in full swing, Pecan South kicks off our annual Harvest Photo Contest. For...
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Letter from the Editor: The Pecan Newsletter is back
Dear Readers, Harvest is here. Once again, the pecan industry prepares to face this challenge head-on. Some growers in the central and southeastern regions will begin shaking trees and collecting early varieties in the next few weeks. Other producers, like those in the West, still have a while to go before they can harvest their...
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Letter from the Editor: “Stay safe, stay cool”
Dear Readers, I made a mistake. A big one. A potentially dangerous one. You see, I forgot how hot it can be at 5:30 p.m. in late July in Southeast Texas. Earlier this week, I went for a run after work. While preparing to head out to run, I glanced at my weather app and...
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Letter from the Editor: “The more things change…”
Dear Readers, This past month I was very blessed to be able to travel to my first conference since before the pandemic. It was a surreal experience. In some ways, I could feel the year-and-a-half that had passed since my last industry conference. But in others, it felt like no time had passed at all. ...
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Letter from the editor: Harnessing your power
Dear Readers, Industry conferences pick back up this month as we all adjust to a new normal. The U.S. pecan industry is very blessed to be able to host events in person again. Although these trade shows and meetings won’t be exactly like they were in the past, they continue to provide us all with...
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Letter from the Editor: “The FMO referendum, helpful articles, and moving forward”
Dear Readers, As pecan trees continue to bud out, catkins and flowers follow, signaling the start of another nut set. Pollination and flowering also signal the beginning of a new growing season. This month we begin a new season filled with the same stresses and worries but also with the same hopes—a big crop, reasonable...
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Letter from the Editor: Happy National Pecan Month
Dear Readers, Happy National Pecan Month! This month we get to celebrate our favorite nut and share its wonderful health benefits with friends, family, and customers. And on April 14, we get to enjoy National Pecan Day during National Pecan Month. Our April 2021 issue provides marketing insight, horticulture advice, and updates from the Federal...
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Letter from the Publisher, 2021
Dear Readers, Each March issue of Pecan South starts a new volume for the magazine. This year is volume 54. Over half a century of bringing pecan knowledge and communication to the industry and it has always been our honor to do so. Continuing in that tradition, this month’s issue brings you timely information about...
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Letter from the Editor: Monarch Butterfly and Pecan
Dear Readers, I am happy to announce the winner of our third annual Harvest Photo Contest— “Monarch Butterfly and Pecans,” submitted by Jorge Jalife and taken by Vero Zertuche. Vero captured this magical moment at La Ximena Orchard in Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, Mexico. Congratulations, Jorge Jalife and Vero Zertuche! Thank you for sharing this photo...
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Letter from the Editor: “Hello 2021”
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! I pray for good health and safety for you and your family. We’ve finally said farewell to 2020, and though we’re not leaving our troubles behind, we’re moving forward. And as we enter 2021, I can’t help but think about one of my editing rules. It’s one I’ve developed over...
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Letter from the Editor: Holidays & the end of 2020
Dear readers, As we approach the end of 2020, we can take this time to reflect on the pecan industry and its perseverance through this difficult year. From terrible wildfires to devastating hurricanes and ice storms to the COVID-19 pandemic and a dismal market, 2020 has run the gambit on disasters and challenged each of...
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Letter from Editor: Happy Thanksgiving & Harvest
Dear readers, I’m dreaming of a Thanksgiving feast at the moment. Roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and, of course, pecans—in a pie, a casserole, or a snack mix. I’m counting down the days. Thanksgiving this year may look different than those in the past. Many of us won’t be able to celebrate with all of...
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Letter from the Editor: “Take Your Mind Off”
Dear readers, Harvest comes yet again to the Northern Hemisphere with loads of challenges—some new, some the same just slightly more difficult to bear. One challenge confronted by thousands of pecan growers throughout history is hurricanes. Growers in Louisiana endured Hurricane Laura at the end of August. Then, on Sept. 16, Hurricane Sally struck their...
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Letter from the Editor: Resources for Uncertain Times
Dear Readers, Harvest is upon us. Like every year, the pecan industry is rearing up to face the challenge head-on. Some growers in the central and southeastern regions are entering their orchards this month to shake trees and collect early varieties. Other producers, like those in the West, still have a while to go before...
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Letter from the Editor: “Moving Forward”
Dear reader, It’s crunch time for many pecan growers across the United States and Mexico, and as we enter August, we head into one of the most crucial parts of the growing season: kernel development. Nut clusters hang heavy on pecan trees. Producers focus on perfecting their irrigation schedule and spray regimen. Shellers and handlers...
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Letter from the Editor: “Thank you, George Ray McEachern!”
Dear Readers, If you’ve been reading Pecan South for at least a couple of months, you may have noticed that there’s one contributor whose name and articles appear between our pages without fail. Since 1987, Dr. George Ray McEachern has shared his pecan expertise and knowledge with us month after month, year after year, in...
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Letter from the Editor: “Words From My Past Self”
Dear Readers, When I sat down to write this letter to you all, I admit I didn’t know what to say. Not to beat a dead horse, but we’re in a strange time. This summer won’t be filled with industry events and conferences; instead we’ll have webinars and virtual meet-ups. Even summer vacation does not...
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Letter from the Editor: Don’t Forget to Care for Yourself
Dear Readers, My new coworkers are rather interesting. There are two of them, and they often spend their mornings barking at anything and everything that they spy outside—people returning from their one walk for the day, birds diving down from the rooftop, or the solitary food delivery guy who hurries along with packages and wears...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “A Beacon of Hope”
Dear readers, So much can change in a month. By the time you received the March issue, our office was already starting on this April edition and the world had entered into a pandemic. COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, has taken over our lovely planet and we are all battling it in our own way—whether...
Read moreLetter from the Publisher: A Fireside Chat
Dear Readers, We decided to change up the opening letter, or fireside chat if you will, for the first issue of Volume 53. I am the Publisher for Pecan South, handling the business of the magazine and ultimately responsible for the magazine’s publication each month. I hope I have gotten to meet a good majority...
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Letter from the Editor: “Winner of Our 2nd Annual Photo Contest”
Dear Readers, The winner of our second annual Photo Contest has been chosen, and you saw their beautiful photo on the cover. For the second year in a row, Dan Shepherd of Shepherd Farms in Clifton, Missouri, submitted the winning picture. Congratulations, Mr. Shepherd, and thank you for sharing your photography talent with us! We...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Imagining the Next Decade”
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! Happy New Decade! Although I’m writing this in December of 2019, I imagine how I’ll feel when you all read this, and we’ve officially entered 2020. 2020—it sounds so strange. Can you believe it? This January provides us with a moment of reflection and preparation. As we enter into this...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Giving Thanks”
As we get closer to Thanksgiving, the Pecan South office always gets inundated with calls from consumers searching for fresh pecans. Unlike your typical consumer, these people don’t just look for pecans in their local grocery stores. No, they know the variety they want. They know the best time to buy America’s native nut. And...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Second Annual Harvest Photo Contest”
Dear Readers, At this time last year, we announced our first annual Harvest Photo Contest. The winner, Dan Shepherd, was featured on the cover of our February 2019 issue. His photo of his North Missouri farm cloaked in snow on a cold February morning wowed Pecan South readers and staff. This year we’re continuing this...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Thank you, Bill Ree”
Dear readers, Last month, I brought you all behind the curtain and shared with you all the people who help make this magazine possible. This month I’d like to go a step further and thank one person in particular who has been an unwavering advocate for and contributor to this magazine. Thank you, Bill Ree....
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Going Behind the Curtain”
Dear Readers, A lot of work goes into these pages that you’re currently holding. Some of you may be thinking about the work I do for Pecan South—editing the articles, designing each issue, and partnering with our printer. But I’m not the only one who puts their heart and soul into every issue. There’s Blair...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “We are here to support you”
Dear Readers, As we all know and have witnessed, pecan growing is hard work. It takes blood, sweat, and tears mixed with a dash of ingenuity, a cup of know-how, and a pinch of good luck. This hard work has almost come to fruition. At this moment, pecan trees across the United States are working...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Hit Pause.”
Dear Readers, Days bleed together, don’t they? And it seems as every day passes the next flies by even faster. I often wonder about how we spend this time—working, laughing with our families, resting, doing the day-to-day tasks required to live. Sometimes, if we’re lucky enough, we’re able to step back from the rush and...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Time to turn your weakness into a strength”
People throughout the pecan industry often ask me how I became involved with Pecan South. And my answer is generally always the same. I stumbled upon it. Some of you may have heard this spiel before at conferences or other industry events, but I thought now is a good time as ever to share a...
Read moreLetter from the Editor— “April: Spring, Budbreak & a Hope for Good Pecans”
A fresh start, April marks the start of the growing season as our pecan trees reawaken. This month, leaves will sprout up and fill out our trees, and budbreak will officially begin. It’s a moment of hope as we imagine the success of this year’s crop and a strengthening of the market. Although we should...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “In March, Another Beginning Blooms”
Another season. Another month. And no matter how much we resist, time marches on. These things aren’t a surprise, but I always find that my deadline for writing this letter to you all sneaks up on me. And like with every other issue, this one arrived and passed in a blink. March is a busy...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Choosing a Winner & a Cover”
Back in October, we announced our first-ever Photo Contest. Over the next few months, the submissions rolled in from across the Pecan Belt. Each photo we received brought a smile to my face and to those of my coworkers and took us on a journey to familiar scenes across the industry—orchards at sunrise, changing seasons,...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Welcoming in a New Year”
By the time you’re reading this, we’ll have entered a new year. And like every year before it, 2019 seemed to appear before we were fully prepared. But unlike some years, we are welcoming this one with open arms. Last year started off with a bang. Industry members across the United States were excited to...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: Time to Celebrate
Another year is coming to an end. We made it through yet again. We survived. Now some might think of that phrase—“we survived”—as rather morbid, but I look at it as a form of celebration. We did it! We made it through! We survived the hurricanes that wiped out hundred-year-old trees. We survived the heavy...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “A Time to be Thankful and Together”
While I prepared this issue, Hurricane Michael struck the Southeast. Florida, Alabama, and Georgia were hit particularly hard and growers in that region are still reeling from the devastating storm. There aren’t enough words to express how these people must be feeling. And this letter is not nearly long enough to express how I feel...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Harvest Photo Contest”
Due to the diverse landscape of the Pecan Belt, we’re all at different points of the season. For some, harvest is in full-swing; others are set to start this month, and still, others are making the final preparations to begin harvest in November or December. Whatever stage you’re at in your harvest right now, you’re...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Some Harvest Season Resources”
Dear Readers, As we race against the deadline for harvest, this season appears to be one that many believe will make or break us. I hope this month’s issue can help you find a reprieve from the stress of harvest preparations and the fear of this year’s market. Even with these looming concerns, I’ve heard...
Read moreThe End of Summer, the Beginning of the Home Stretch
Dear Readers, The thermometer outside my office in Bryan, Texas reads 106 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s sweltering. And luckily, I’m tucked away in the air conditioning, where I will stay until I am forced to make a run through the insufferable heat to my car. There, I will crank the engine and blast my AC as...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Wait and See”
Dear Readers, Like every year, July seems to be the month that sets the tone for the oncoming harvest. This month growers finally have a general idea of what their 2018 crop will look like—for better or worse. The industry continues to share state crop estimates from growers associations (Those will be published in the...
Read moreLetter 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...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: “Tomorrow, Tomorrow”
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...
Read moreApril Letter from the Editor: National Pecan Month Brings a New Chance
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...
Read moreMarch Letter from the Editor: Identifiable, Checkable and Trustworthy
As a journalist, the truth holds a lot of weight for me. Misinformation, false equivalency, bias, objectivity, protected sources—I spent the majority of my time last year debating and discussing these topics with fellow journalists, while I worked to earn my Master’s. In today’s world, we’re a click away from each other. But plot twist!...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: The Most Interesting Month in the Year
February has always been my favorite month. It’s special for a number of reasons. It is the only month whose number of days can change. It’s shorter; moves by faster. It actually gives you a chance to miss it. Other months sometimes feel like they drag on, pulling us along, rushing us through the motions...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: A New Year, A New Journey
It’s 2018. Crazy, right? I can barely believe how time moves so fast, yet so slow. Like every year before it, 2017 passed like each moment was lived out in the ocean. Moments inundated us; crashed into us like tsunami-size waves. Pushing us under, stealing the breath from our lungs, potentially drowning us in their...
Read moreLetter from the Editor: Harvest & Holiday Wishes
With the holidays and harvest season upon us, my mind is racing with all the seasonal pressures and thoughts. And I’m sure you can say the same. This year though, there is one other thing, one word that I keep coming back to. Perfection. We search for the perfect gift, try to cook the perfect...
Read moreRemembering and Cherishing Pecan Memories
Unlike most Texans and Southerners, I only have a handful of pecan stories from my childhood. My grandparents didn’t have a tree. My mom didn’t really bake. So, we didn’t spend hours baking pecan pies or picking up pecans out in the backyard. But like many Americans, my first—pretty much all—my pecan memories come from...
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October’s Theme: And So It Goes
These last few months of 2017 have felt almost like one of those apocalypse movies. You know the ones. Everything seems to be going well when suddenly Mother Nature seems to turn against humankind. She batters us with rain and winds. She shakes the earth, toppling buildings and livelihoods with a flick of her wrist....
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