Thanks for Planting Pecan Trees
On this chilly, foggy Sunday morning, I’m making rounds, checking out what the fellows got planted, how many pounds of nuts got cleaned and making a mental list for Monday morning. Those working guys leave clothes everywhere this time of year; a hoodie over the fence and a flannel shirt pegged to a tree trunk. Someone left a beer in the cooler; still cold enough so I’ll sit and observe from a chair and indulge in a breakfast porter. And crack a couple of pecans.
Nuts everywhere. Under my feet, protein. Tasty protein in the from of pecans. Manna fallen from above. I slip into a moment of meditation. Nuts, beer, mist and a silent thanks to the unknown people who planted these trees.
Thanks to whomever had the vision, around 1900, to plant these ‘Stuart’ pecan Trees. Their vision astounds. At the time a uniform grove of pecan trees was a new thing. Only two decades earlier, a slave figured out how to graft and grow pecan trees. He wouldn’t share in the glory, nor the profits of his breakthrough. Nor would anyone plantings his trees likely share in the harvest. Newly planted pecan trees can take 15 years to produce a crop.
Vision. Those people of vision grafted and planted for us. These trees have been dropping tasty protein for 70 years.
It’s not too late for us to do the same for the next generation. And we have advantages; faster growing trees, compact varieties and better fertilizer. Ten years ago, I planted an orchard of bare root, 3-foot tall trees on a farm where I’d done the master plan and created a 30 acre botanical garden. Today that garden is a full fledged non-profit and those trees are already 20 feet tall. We have time to plant more pecan trees and possibly taste the nuts from them.
Definitely, we have time to enjoy a vision, a dream of all those who might eat, climb, have a beer under or lean back onto a massive gray trunk for a long kiss. Maybe they’ll wonder about us, wonder who had the vision to plant a pecan tree all those years ago.
What to Plant, When to Plant and Where to Purchase……
I’m planting ‘Pawnee’, ‘Podsednik’ and ‘Hopi’, ‘Sumner’ and ‘Jackson’ varieties. They are compact, fast growing and good for larger backyards. I plant bare root trees, ordered on-line anytime in the winter. I’ve used Womack nursery.
Share the Love! Send a Pecan Gift Pack
We treat our pecan trees organically. We hand pick, clean and ship gifts of nuts with stories about the farm and with Momma’s pecan pie recipe each fall. Order here. 
Well, you know how close to my heart this is; pecans are central to my cooking and one of my favorite things to eat. They grow into magnificent trees – stately, grand, spreading beauties – although they can be quite messy with limbs and branch tips nipped off by winds or by twig girdling insects. The wood itself makes for a gorgeous piece of furniture.
So – do you expect you could harvest nuts from the varieties you’ve planted before you’re 64?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading that. It reminded me when I was a kid and we would pick and shell pecans at my grandmother’s house. I used to love to be the first one in the tree to shake it and “make it rain” pecans.
Thanks Robert. There’s a realization that came to us as children. That food and money could fall from trees. Powerful too as the time of year, horizontal light, chill air, holidays coming increase the power of the memories. I have another essay about pecans and Rod Steward in Funky Little Flower Farm.
Love these trees. We planted 10 about 20 years ago on the farm. Deer ate every one!
My Grandmother had wonderful pecan trees. All “soft” shell. Variety? Around our house were beautiful older trees but they were “hard” shell. The Blue Jays kept my Grandfather’s 12 gauge busy. Sounded like a war. Don’t know who won, but we had plenty of nuts!
We call them paper shells! You know this type of tree cast a “cooler” shade as it evapotran’s lots and lots of water!