2009 Bumper Crop

The upcoming 2009 Pecan Crop looks to be a "bumper" crop for the state of Texas and especially for the area around us. Pecan trees that are not commercially managed will typically follow a 3 year cycle of a bumper crop year, lean year, and then medium size crop year. Of course Mother Nature can have a hand in influencing this cycle. Too little or too much rain can harm a crop, late freezes in the Spring or early freezes in the Fall can also cause damage, insects such as weevils can wipe out a crop too, and many other factors can have a determining factor on a pecan crop.

The Montz Orchards that are managed by Tim and Jake Montz as well as others are done so in a way to try and avoid cycles. The goal at our orchards is to have the trees produce a standard amount (or as close to it as possible) year after year. Again, we too have to deal with Mother Nature, but with lots of good management techniques, plenty of prayer, and a little luck we can have a steady crop of top quality papershell pecans year after year.

As you can see from the pictures, even our trees are pretty loaded with pecans. The limbs are getting heavy due to the pecans transitioning from the water stage to the stage where the actual pecan meat forms. These pictures are of Pawnee pecan trees which come off very early (sometimes 30 days before the other varieties).

Right now our major concern is weevils. This is the time of year when this insect will try to infest the pecan crop. We have 7 to 10 days of intense monitoring to do to ensure we do not lose our crop to this creature!!!

All the trees around Wichita Falls look to be really loaded. This will make November - January a very busy but fun time at the Pecan Shed. We always enjoy cracking pecans for our customers and seeing those kids who have worked hard all day picking up pecans in either their yard, a neighbor's yard, or perhaps Grandpa's yard get rewarded for their labor!

Take care,
Jill