It's Pecan Time

[Magicman]

PatD and I got ahead of the crows today and picked up our first batch of Pecans.  Several of our best trees are really loaded, so during the next few weeks we will be on our knees for sure.


 
The ground was covered.


  
And we got about 7 gallons.  There looks to be about 30 gallons still hanging in that one tree.   

[thecfarm]

Pe-can pie. ;D

[DanG]

I had a pretty good crop last year, and sold several hundred pounds.  This year, as far as I can tell, there ain't a nut on the place.('cept for meself, of course.)

[Magicman]

 :D  You just reminded me about the argument discussion that we had last year about how to pronounce Pecan.  Shall we just say that it is a "local" thing 'cause I can not be concerned if y'all got it wrong.   :P

[Magicman]

DanG, thankfully most years some of my trees will produce.  Never all of them the same year, and some years, almost none.  This year a tree that virtually had none last year, is my most productive.  I only have two grafted trees.  The others are volunteer seedlings.

I always say that I am going to fertilize the trees, but Spring comes and I forget.

[LeeB]

You should get one of those roller things for picking up the nuts. The one that looks like a wisk on a paint roller. Getting down on your knees mostly ain't too hard, but getting back up can be tough.

[Magicman]

There were so many on the ground yesterday that the only thing to do was to "get down".  When the picking are slim, I use one of those wire loop "picker upper's".

I hope that the rain that we are getting this morning will be enough get them to turn loose and fall.

[ND rancher]

Those look yummy! One of my favorite nuts.We got to taste fresh pecan when my son was in school in Louisiana.Also my favorite pie if made right. 

[thecfarm]

Magicman,some things I don't remember but some I do.  :( This is just like the grits thing.  ;D

[Magicman]

Here is one of the discussions:  LINK   

[thecfarm]

Noticed reply #3 in the above link.  ;)

[Jeff]

Tammy and I are in the Market to buy some if anyone raises some extra this year. YUM

[Texas Ranger]

Come to Texas,,  you can pick your own, or I'll hand them to ya.

[Magicman]

My thoughts are that there will be some at the Chickin Crispin.   

[clww]

We have another house that we rent out. There's a pecan tree in the neighbor's yard that crosses our fence. Never did get any because of all the squirrels. How do you deal with them?

[Magicman]

Our Cabin is not really close to any woods, so the only squirrels are the old Fox squirrels, and they need pecans too.  Crows are our main pecan predators so I do not blow the leaves away until we are ready to pick the pecans up.

[clww]

I did not know a crow would eat them.

[Magicman]

I would say that Pecans are their main food source in our area during the Fall. 

Crows are also the reason for Pecan sprouts in our open fields, etc.  They drop them everywhere.  Then since Pecan trees are deep rooted and have a vicious taproot, they are hard to kill. 

[SwampDonkey]

MM are you on old plantation ground down there or are these wild stock? My grandparents had friends from one of the Carolinas that would bring a sackful in the fall when they came hunting grouse and woodcock. They owned plantation property. I like pecans better than walnuts. ;D Got my digits in a dish of unsalted nuts right now. Funny how unsalted costs more.  :-\

[Jeff]

My thoughts are that there will be some at the Chickin Crispin.   

That's well after Christmas though. We both like to snack on pecans rather than fudge and all that other stuff.

[Magicman]

MM are you on old plantation ground down there or are these wild stock?

There are only two grafted trees that my Mom set out over 70 years ago.  The rest are all volunteer seedlings that came up on fence rows, etc.  A few are good producers, but most are not.  Some produce no fruit at all and some are so small and hard shelled that I do not even bother to pick them up.  What we consider as our best tree has not produced fruit in 3-4 years.  Maybe it has rained during it pollination period or something  ???  :

[SwampDonkey]

I guess I was just interested in the origins. Isn't it the Mississippi River that pecans natively range along and not too far outside except maybe up the tributaries a bit? Kinda like us and the butternut with the two main rivers that run through the province, but in the lower reaches.

[Magicman]

I am not aware of the natural origin, but I do know that the delta areas have a heavier concentration of old growth Pecan trees.  The giant Pecan tree that sawed "on the road" a couple of months ago was in this region.

I was very close to one of the major pecan sources in the state: http://pecanhouse.com/

My farm is in the hills and probably 20-25 miles from the Mississippi River delta region.

[Norm]

I ordered some from these guys last year Pecans if you don't have any luck Jeff.

[LeeB]

Pecans area major crop in Texas, and a long ways from the Mississippi. Kept many a fronteer family alive. If you believe the history books, De Vaca survived on them and honey while lost during his exploration of the new world.

[SwampDonkey]

Could be Lee. Those old Norse houses way up in frozen Labrador had crocks with butternuts inside way before Columbus. They figured they got down into NB in some lower reaches of the Mirimachi River and picked them along the river. Just a theory. But how far would they have travel south? Then why the heck go up there to freeze to death with butternuts. :D

[Den Socling]

I would say that Pecans are their main food source in our area during the Fall. 

Crows are also the reason for Pecan sprouts in our open fields, etc.  They drop them everywhere.  Then since Pecan trees are deep rooted and have a vicious taproot, they are hard to kill.

We have a similar problem around here with squirrels and black walnuts. The squirrels stick them everywhere and they have a tap root that won't come out of the ground. You can cut them down year after year and they just come back.

[SwampDonkey]

This morning I took a video of a red squirrel on the wood pile making sure that walnut didn't sprout, but in his belly. :D

[Dodgy Loner]

I have a PEE-can tree in the backyard, but the squirrels always eat them before they fall to the ground

[ScottAR]

Pecan tree are somewhat common yard tree down here.  I don't personally have any but some of rental property in the family biz do.  Makes for a handy snack if we happen to be working on an empty one the right time of year. 

[Den Socling]

Believe it or not, I've seen miles of pecan orchards in Arizona. Many of the varieties have Indian - excuse me - native American names.

[SwampDonkey]

I thought it was peach orchards the Spanish planted down there. Maybe they were almond peaches. ;D

[martyinmi]

Will Pea-Kahn trees grow in Michigan? My lovely bride makes the best Pea-Kahn pie digin_2

[Dodgy Loner]

PEE-can trees are native as far north as Illinois and Indiana. I would think that if you were to try to plant a PEE-can tree in Michigan, you would need to make sure your stock is from as far north as possible. Most commercially grown varieties are adapted to long, hot summers and mild winters and would not do well at all in Michigan. Even the mountains of North Georgia, commercial PEE-can varieties don't thrive the way they do in Middle and South Georgia.

[Magicman]

You talk funny.   ;D

[Dodgy Loner]

Same to you, sir :D

[SwampDonkey]

You can always separate the transplants. ;)

[Chris Burchfield]

I have a couple of trees in the area and have picked up about 15 gallons.  Some paper shell mostly Wallace, I likem all. 

[WDH]

We (my wife mostly) have picked up about 200 pounds so far this Fall.  It is a good PEE-CON year.

(Boss, do not buy any  ;)).