April 2013 Archives - Pecan South MagazinePecan South magazine | The pecan industry's leading publication, published monthly for pecan producers, processors and all others involved or interested in the pecan industry.

by George Ray McEachern Southwest Notes

Young pecan tree training

The focus for 2013 at the Texas A&M pecan orchard will be young tree training. When I came to Texas in 1969, pecan trees were trained entirely different from how we do it today. In the old days, spacing was wide with scaffold limbs beginning only 4 to 6 feet from the ground. The old...

by Bill Ree IPM Report

Time to prepare for Pecan Nut Casebearer management

It is hard to believe that the 2013 season is just around the corner and it will soon be time to start placing your PNC pheromone trap orders. Over the years there have been numerous articles on pecan nut casebearer management and the importance of using pheromone traps to detect the onset of the first-generation...

by Pecan South Staff Events

Royalty Pecan issues challenge for pecan recipes

April is National Pecan Month and Royalty Pecan Farms near Caldwell, Texas, is celebrating by hosting the annual Royalty Pecans Recipe Challenge. The challenge is to think outside the pie and submit recipes that feature heart-healthy, nutritious pecans and go beyond the traditional pecan pie and candy recipes that are easy to find. Food lovers...

by Blair Krebs Industry Updates

U.S. Pecans launches 2013 promotions at Fruit Logistica

The U.S. Pecans program continues to promote pecans around the world, helped in part by MAP (Market Access Program) funds and incredible industry support. Through the program a team member and an industry representative attended the Fruit Logistic trade show in Berlin, Germany on February 6 – 8. Sean Hayes from The Green Valley Pecan...

by Pecan South Staff Events

San Saba Field Day set for May 6

The San Saba County (Texas) Pecan Field Day will be held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday, May 6, at the San Saba Civic Center in Mill Pond Park. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. This annual field day has enjoyed excellent attendance over the years, offering topics for commercial growers, small landowners and...

A grower panel at WPGA discussed pressurized irrigation systems. Pictured from left are Barrett Blain, Bill Spear, Harold Payne and Brian Driscoll. (Photo by Cindy Wise)

by Cindy Loggins Wise Conferences

WPGA keeps growers up to date on diverse topics Outgoing WPGA

Those attending the Western Pecan Growers Association conference in Las Cruces March 4-5 were treated to a diverse educational program providing tips on estate planning and smart-phone apps for pecan growers, as well as production information on pest control and irrigation. Blake McKibbin of Farm Bureau Financial Services addressed wealth transfer and business succession for...

Incoming SEPGA president Lamar Jenkins, left, expressed appreciation to outgoing president Miley Adams at the association’s banquet. (Photo by Cindy Wise)

by Cindy Loggins Wise Conferences

SEPGA weathers 106th annual meeting

The weather was damp but spirits were not at the 106th annual convention of the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association held Feb. 22-23 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Florida. Convention chairman Michael Horne and program chairwoman Katherine Stevenson structured an enjoyable, informative event that proceeded smoothly despite heavy rains during much of...

by Cindy Loggins Wise Conferences

Food Safety Issues in Spotlight at Shellers Meeting

Food safety issues loom large in the United States right now, particularly with the new Food Safety Modernization Act poised to impose a host of new regulations on the food industry, including nuts. Warren Stone of the Grocery Manufacturers Association spoke to pecan shellers at their recent Mid Winter meeting in Florida on the topic,...

by Lenny Wells Southeastern Shakings

What’s in your tank?

There’s a popular credit card advertisement that asks the question, “What’s in your wallet?” Well, if you’re a pecan farmer, the answer to that question may be less money, unless you’re careful about how you budget your expenses. There’s no question that you have to spend money to grow pecans. But, you can spend a...

Fig. 1. The orchard used for the study. The location of the Bird Gard is noted in the west fi eld.

by Michael W. Smith and Carole A. Smith Studies

Mitigating pecan depredation losses

Pecan nut loss caused by wildlife depredation results in major economic losses. In small orchards depredation may result in total crop loss. Several avian species feed on pecan nuts; the more problematic species include the American crow and blue jay (Aldous, 1944; Bannon, 1921; Hall, 1979; Leppla, 1980; Martin et al., 1951; Murray, 1975; Wilson,...

by Pecan South Staff Events

Central Texas event gets new venue

The Central Texas Pecan Shortcourse, scheduled for April 9, will take place at the First Baptist Youth Center in Goldthwaite, Texas – which is a change from previous years. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with a $20 fee that includes lunch. An RSVP by April 5 is requested – contact Tom Guthrie at t-guthrie@ tamu.edu...

Leaves cover the ground of a well fertilized native pecan grove.

by William Reid Native Timbre

Consistent fertilization leads to consistent nut production

With the drop in prices paid for the 2012 native crop, growers are searching for ways to cut production costs this season. Unfortunately, one of the first production inputs many growers think about cutting is fertilizer. It all starts with a call to the local fertilizer dealer. Urea and potash are still both over $500...