Time for a Change

It is with some sadness that I am announcing that I will no longer be writing a regular column for Pecan South. While I expect that I may continue to contribute something to the magazine from time to time I really feel that it is time for me to give way to some new blood....

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Texans urged to lookout for unwelcomed visitor

For this month’s article I am submitting a news release that was prepared by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Steve Byrns and distributed to news outlets urging people to be on the lookout for the new invasive brown marmorated stink bug.  Although I wrote on this subject for the June 2011 issue of Pecan South, given...

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The Diverse World of Hickory

If you are reading this then I assume you know that pecans (Carya illinoensis) are in the hickory family. Pecans are also the “high point” of the family in terms of economic importance. However, there are several other species that might have some value as well if some time and effort was put into their...

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Pat and Marguerite Baggett took home the Grand Champion Commercial Pecan award in the Texas State Pecan Show held in July. At right is their Washington County Extension agent Larry Pierce. (Photo by Monte Nesbitt)

Winning Texas Pecan Show for 2011 no easy task

The year 2011 will be stamped in history books as one of the worst drought years in Texas. “Difficult” doesn’t begin to describe the growing conditions that pecan growers throughout the Lone Star state struggled with, taxing their irrigation systems just to keep trees alive. The combination of drought, scarce production over most of the...

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Pecan Grading on a Bad Year

Wow, what a year for pecans. Great start with a big crop in an “off” year and good rain to get the season going. In July at the Texas Pecan Growers conference we all knew the crop was big and we had to shake. Nut thinning for reducing crop size in July and early August...

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