FIL lives on 25 acres and has maybe about 80 trees. Some or most are the posednik variety. For the last few years he has been retailing them. He picks, cleans, cracks, and bags them also zinc's and sprays the trees along with running irrigation to them.

The bad news is the pecan market is kinda soft I Wharton county and perhaps this eco region. He doesn't end up selling all his current years stock before the next crop. He lives close by but my time is boofed enough already so I'm not much of a help

Any solutions or ideas what he can do? Even if he hired some help he couldn't break even as he sells them for $15/lb shelled in a bag. And it's a significant time investment to pick, shell, crack, and bag ~80 trees.

Does anybody buy at the wholesale level that would shake the trees for you?

Forget the mention the posednik variety is a bigger nut, such in fact local buyers don't want it as the crackers won't crack it well.

You need to find a local grower who has a newer style savage harvester... they may have a better shot at gathering them mechanically without crunching them up. Some of the older harvesters will crack larger improved varieties.

You essentially have a novelty, but they might be wanted for the Chinese new year market. They want in-shell nuts that they brine and roast for new year.

No help with a wholesaler, but I'd say that's the way to go. My grandmother had about 8 trees and she would let us grandkids pick up all we wanted I would just sell mine to the local buyers. I would usually spend 4 or 5 hours around christmas picking up pecans and not even really put a dent in it. I can't even imagine 80 trees.

If he ever wanted to downsize he could sell the wood for smoking.

I have an aunt and uncle that pick near there. If he's ok with someone else picking and selling, I can see if they are interested. He gets a percent and doesn't have to lift a finger.

I know a guy in Edna that sells to a wholesaler.

I'll hunt down some contact info.

You are a victim of Trump's trade war. China hit back with a tariff on pecans. When this gets ended the market should rebound.

How mature are the trees? Could thin about the older ones if they're pretty large - give agrams a call!

Old RV Ag said:

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How mature are the trees? Could thin about the older ones if they're pretty large - give agrams a call!

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Can/Do deer eat pecans?

barnag said:

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Can/Do deer eat pecans?

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Not sure, I know pigs are big fans though

If he can harvest them or have someone harvest them, he could just sell them to someone like Bagley or whoever it is in Rosenberg.

I would have him contact his local county extension agent. If he's a good one, he'll help make a plan and have plenty of contacts.

TacosaurusRex said:

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barnag said:

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Can/Do deer eat pecans?

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Not sure, I know pigs are big fans though

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Absolutely

Look up Texas wild pecans in Columbus. A relative owns it. Not sure what all he does but might be able to help. I believe he typically buys from growers and sells to wholesale but he also has his own trees.

My mom had a pecan orchard in Gorman years ago. They owned the land, trees, we put in a drip irrigation system. Can't remember who sprayed. They partnered with a guy who would come in with a shaker and tarps and that group did the harvesting. Split the profit. Easy on my folks.

I considered putting in some pecan trees in the El Campo area and the best resource I found was an extension agent in the Victoria area. His name is Joe Janak. I don't know if he is still working but I can pass along his telephone number if you are interested. I eventually decided against it. I had a soil analysis done and even though I have a sandy soil, Joe advised that it wasn't ideal for pecan production.

The Victoria agent is Matt Bochat.

Frankly I don't see how anybody could start up a pecan operation all things considered.

https://wharton.agrilife.org/contact/

Call Corrie. He is a very good County Agent and can get you pointed in the right direction.

He actively works with the pecan growers and knows the immediate area extremely well. That will be the best option unless you want to do a lot of leg work.

Fishin Texas Aggie 05 said:

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Any solutions or ideas what he can do?

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Fishin,

He's probably already a member of the Texas Pecan Growers Association in Bryan, but if not, I'll bet your FIL could attend their annual trade show and make the contacts he needs to find something that would work for him.

Texas Pecan Growers Association

I haven't seen their newsletter, but he might find a few ideas in it as well.

FWIW, my dad had a place about 30 years ago that he put substantial money and effort into with drip irrigation and a spraying regimen, but I think he lost interest (and lacked the time) before he saw his investment pay out and ended up just selling the place. I guess there's money in nuts, but it's certainly not easy money.

I got size 18 nut pockets in my Meyer. The largest nuts are all I can crack. I'm trying to source size 11 for natives as we speak. They'll all go through the shelter no problem.

Not much to contribute other than this was a big part of spending time with my grandparents not far from Wharton.

Is that gas powered or electric?

willie wonka said:

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Is that gas powered or electric?

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Manuel

Old RV Ag said:

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willie wonka said:

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Is that gas powered or electric?

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Manuel

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He's pretty good at what he does.

Modern tech has evolved and now they make them with a rolling wire basket

Expensive but work great

https://baganut.com/collections/harvest-pecans