Mother Nature Has an Attitude...

Just after we survived a spring freeze a few weeks ago, last weekend our trees were being whipped by 20+ mph winds.  We barely had time to check all the orchards for possible limb loss before the forecasters were saying possible hail is now headed our way.

Mother Nature seems to have a bad attitude lately!

Farming is not for the faint of heart.  You have to have big shoulders to carry the worries of things beyond your control and you have to have tough knees to constantly be in prayer to God for Him to watch over your entire livelihood.

And it isn't just pecan farmers.  Everyone in the farming industry faces similar challenges on a daily basis.  We are all at the mercy of things we simply have no control over.  Most farmers I know put in well over 40 hours per week only to at times see all their hard work destroyed in the minutes and hours it takes a single storm to sweep through their area.

But when the storm has passed, these men and women who have dedicated their lives to growing crops for the world to eat do what they know to do.  They work.  And they work hard.  Sometimes to salvage what is left.  Sometimes to start again.  And sometimes to merely clean up the aftermath so the next crop might stand a chance.  

Farming is not like other industries.  We can't just crank up the motor on the factory to produce more of a crop.  We can't add night shifts and weekend shifts to increase productivity.

We plant the seeds.  We water.  We cultivate.  We wait.  And we pray.  And when the time comes we harvest all we can of what we have grown.

And then we do it all again the next season.

For some of us, like pecan farmers, we only get one harvest a year.  If that harvest is destroyed by a freeze or a hail storm or bugs or some other type of natural disaster then we are finished for the year. There is no replanting.  There is no other crop.  It is only the one and done.

So tonight as you park your car inside the garage and while you are bringing in the delicate flowers and the breakable porch decorations please say a prayer for the farmers who are sitting by the window...watching the skies and their weather apps...and praying for God to have mercy on their fields and future.  

Hello Again...

Hey Folks,

It has been a while since I last blogged but I am making it my goal to revive it!  We post a lot of product pictures on Facebook...

(https://www.facebook.com/pecanshed/  AND https://www.facebook.com/PecanShedHenrietta/)

...but this gives me an opportunity to tell you a few more details about the nutty stuff that goes on at the Pecan Shed and out in the orchards.  So I hope you enjoy!

It is hard to believe February has already come to an end.  It feels like just last week we were preparing for Strawbageddon or as some of you loving refer to it...Valentine's Day!  We broke a record this year dipping a few hundred dozen Fudge Dipped Strawberries between the two stores from February 1st through the weekend after Vday.  If you got a dozen or two we sure hope you enjoyed them!!

They will be back for Mother's Day week. (We all need a few months to regain our sanity and lose a few pounds!  One perk for working at the Pecan Shed is you get to eat the "oopsies"!)  But in the meantime if you need a fix remember we have our Fudge Dipping Cups available year round in both Milk Chocolate and Vanilla Fudge.  Same great fudge we use at the stores you can use at home.  And as a bonus you can dip whatever you want!!!  At my house our favorite treat is to dip Oreo cookies into the vanilla fudge cup.  If you can eat more than one you better check your blood sugar levels!  

As we say goodbye to February and look forward to March we have some fun new ideas we are looking forward to sharing with all of you!  Angela B. and Linda who make our fudge at the Wichita Falls store have a great new fudge flavor coming out tomorrow.  All I can say is it has caramel, divinity fudge, and pecans and smells so good when they are making it!  Like makes you want to lick the air it is so good!!!  (Caramel is my kryptonite!)

But if fudge is too sweet for you stop by the Henrietta store.  Jill N, Sara Jo, and Angela B are always whipping up fun new ideas in that kitchen!  It is hard to work over there most days because I keep hearing...Try this! or Taste that!  Those girls are hard on a keto diet let me tell you!

Well the sun is shining.  The air is getting just a bit warmer outside.  And apparently Dad needs me to call him back so I better wrap this up!  Y'all stop by and see us soon!  We are looking forward to your visit!