Our orchard really bugs me, thousands of them do.
What I mean is thousands of insect species call our orchard home. And that’s a good thing, really. It indicates a healthy ecosystem. Most of them do no harm to the pecan trees but a few do and it’s my job to monitor the population of those damaging pests. They will almost certainly be present in the orchard at some level, but their numbers are almost certainly held in check by the Good Guys.
And who are these Good Guys?
Let me introduce you...
The fly lived to see another day, but it brings up a pretty good point. These predators don’t discriminate. They are equal opportunity killers. Spiders will feed on ladybugs and lacewings in addition to flies and aphids. Lady bug nymphs will feed on ladybug eggs as well as aphids and harmful moth larvae. Good guys, bad guys, neutral guys. It’s one big web of predatory life going on in the tiny world of bugs. Eat and be eaten…. It’s tough being an insect in our orchard. But that doesn’t bug me at all.
- Andy Sherrod
Orchard Manager
Frequently when people stop by the retail store in the fall to stock up on pecans for their holiday baking and gifts, they will ask this question. The short answer is, we grow leaves.
Right now, the crop is set. Those little baby pecans need to eat and the only way they get food is through photosynthesis, that sunlight-driven process where nutrients and water combine to generate groceries for the rest of the tree, including the seeds (yes, the nuts we eat in the fall are seeds). Chlorophyll is king….or maybe queen. It’s what gives leaves their green color, the greener the better. Zinc is key in the production of chlorophyll and pecan trees need more zinc than most other plants. The problem with zinc is that it can bind to soil particles so tightly that it is not readily available to plants through their roots, particularly in high pH soils.
So, what’s a pecan tree owner to do? Spray zinc directly on the leaves. That’s right. Zinc sulfate mixed with a little bit of nitrogen in a whole lot of water, sprayed directly onto the leaves, gets plenty of zinc into those leaves to help produce that all-important chlorophyll. We use air blast sprayers to do this. Sound aggressive, right? It is. Twin fans moving air at 100 miles per hour hits those zinc-laden water droplets and pulverizes them into a mist that coats both sides of every leaf. Now, a pecan tree won’t die if additional zinc isn’t provided but the quality and quantity of the crop will most definitely be affected. Inadequate zinc means the leaves are lighter in color and smaller in size because the “grocery store” isn’t as full. Since zinc isn’t mobile within the plant, that is, zinc sprayed onto one leaf won’t scoot over to a new leaf when it unfurls, it is important to spray zinc regularly until all the new leaves are out. So, we spray the orchard every two weeks from April 1 to July 1, a total of seven times.
And, since it takes us five days to spray 500 acres with two air blast sprayers, THAT is a big part of what we do the rest of the year.
]]>Pecan oil is a byproduct of the pecan nut that’s starting to reserve its spot in health food stores and specialty food shops all across America.
This natural edible oil is extracted from pecan kernels and is primarily used for cooking. Pure cold-pressed pecan oil tends to have a mild or neutral odor and flavor that allows it to blend well with any recipe.
Pure virgin pecan oil is considered healthy since it contains good monounsaturated fats and is low in saturated fats.
Only 9.5% of fatty acids in pecan oil are saturated. That’s lower than other commonly used cooking oils like olive oil with 13.5%, peanut oil with 17%, and butter with 66%¹. Pecan oil is lighter and does not contain some of the additives that other oils possess.
The balance of fatty acids found inside pecan oil have been known to reduce bad cholesterol and the risk of heart disease².
As of 2012 The American Heart Association has deemed that pecans are “heart healthy” and allowed them to be sold with the association’s “heart-check” printed on the label. If you see this heart-check on a product label, it means that a particular food meets the requirements of The American Heart Association’s HeartCheck Food Certification Program³.
Since pecans are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants, they have many health benefits other than helping you trim your waistline and lower your cholesterol.
“Scientists have proven that pecans have more anti-oxidants than any other tree nuts,” says Cindy Wise, Executive Vice President of The Texas Pecan Growers Association.
Pecan oil also has a high smoke point of 470° F (higher than other common culinary oils) . This allows the oil and its flavor to stay intact longer and at higher temperatures, which means you can use it for baking, frying, grilling, sautéing, and browning meat in a skillet without easily burning it.
Did you know that early Native American tribes used pecan oil in natural remedies to aid in curing and preventing illness?
Pecan oil was also used as a natural, organic skin remedy throughout ancient culture. Today, it can be found in many massage oils, cosmetics, and can be used in aromatherapy as well as the production of bio-fuel.
Needless to say, pecan oil can cure a multitude of sins.
In the use of cosmetics, pecan oil most often appears in soaps, perfumes, or lotions in order to prevent and treat dry skin.
Pecan oil is considered a carrier oil and is used in aromatherapy in order to dilute essential oils for application. Carrier oils, like pecan oil, have a thicker texture and are mostly odorless, so they can help reduce the harsh smell of essential oils.
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Here at Royalty Pecan Farm, there is a small fifteen-acre block of trees in a remote part of the farm that we call The Back Country. There’s a reason we call it that. It’s largely forgotten due to the remote location. The other drawback is the heavy clay soil that by all rights shouldn’t produce good pecans, but it does. We don’t fertilize them; we don’t irrigate them. The broadleaf plants and grass are cut right before harvest. The only care they get from us is an occasional foliar zinc spray. For the longest time (35 years to be precise) I couldn’t see the
orchard for the trees. We were practicing Regenerative Agriculture back there and I didn’t even know it.
Now, with the increased cost of production, I’m forced to ask myself the question, “should we be practicing Regenerative Agriculture on the rest of our 500 acres?” I hate asking myself that question because it means no more manicured orchard with grass cut low and the vista under the canopy extending for thousands of feet in all directions; that freshly hewn lawn look. Well, if you come to the farm for one of our orchard tours and I show you trees with tall,
unkempt weeds that look like the place has been abandoned, you will know I’m giving Regenerative Agriculture a shot.
- Andy Sherrod
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I think it’s good that consumers of food (that would be everyone) know that the producers of food (that would be just a few of us) are environmentally responsible and the Sustainable Agriculture framework has provided ways to measure that. Here’s one; water.
Water is plentiful in our little neck of the woods. Over-producing the underground aquafer could jeopardize the drinking water supply for our great-great grandchildren hence the need for us to utilize the water we need for crop production in a sustainable way. That’s exactly what we do. Drip irrigation is the primary delivery method we use to irrigate our orchard during the hot summer. The supplemental water is delivered right to the root zone, fifteen inches below the surface, through plastic pipes; over 100 miles of it. The trees get to draw on the water right away and none of it is wasted through evaporation. That’s Sustainable Agriculture with respect to water management. Here’s another one.
Supplemental application of nutrients; fertilization. This river bottom flood plane is extremely fertile, but the trees use some nutrients more than others and those nutrients need to be re-supplied. We can add those nutrients to our irrigation water, that’s called fertigation….get it? Fertilization plus irrigation….fertigation.
We use less fertilizer in a season because it is delivered right to the root zone where the trees can use it immediately and none of it is lost to the air (volatilization). Plus, plants growing on the orchard floor can’t “steal” it. The trees get the full benefit. That’s Sustainable Agriculture with respect to plant nutrition.
Environmentally responsible. That’s us. Since pecans can live for 300 years our trees have another 250 years to go. And the way we farm now will have a positive impact on our great- great-great (whew)….great-grandchildren. I like that.
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This is a scab lesion that had formed early on in the growing season, and the growth has been arrested due to the dry weather. You can see the cracks in the black lesions (pictured) and as this shuck (the green, outer part of the pecan) expands, the scab spores or disease isn't actively growing, and it's breaking the lesion apart. It’s a good sign to see an old scab lesion with cracks because it means the disease is not active nor harming the growing pecan inside the shuck.
The trick is, any amount of rain or high humidity could reactivate some of those latent spores, and then the disease will continue growing and expanding. Right now, the orchard is in various stages of shell hardening, which is when the hard outer shell of the pecan is formed and the pecan meat begins to transform from water/goo to a delicious nut. It is really interesting that shell hardening is close, which means there's a little bit of resistance to the knife right at the tip of the pecan. However, when the knife is moved towards the center, it cuts right through the shuck. That tells us the shell is starting to get hard and beginning to form. It's early August, which is when we generally expect half shell hardening, which means half the shuck from the tip to the back has started to harden. And by the end of August, the whole thing should be hard. After that, it's not getting any bigger. It's just all the energy goes to filling that kernel inside there.
In these pictures, you can see the pecan meat forming. The white outer shell will be the pecan, and the water inside of it will eventually harden and expand the nut to its ideal plumpness. Most of our early varieties are currently in the shell hardening stage, and in these pictures you can see each part of pecan beginning to take shape.
Stay tuned for more information because in a couple weeks, we’ll provide a crop update on your favorite pecans and announce pre-orders for the new crop.
]]>Starting in April, we noticed an increasing population of ladybugs in the pecan orchard. As a result, there are virtually no aphids. If you have your own garden or orchard, it would be good to familiarize yourself with ladybug larvae and other beneficial insects. If you see any of these, don’t panic.
Since ladybugs eat aphids and other soft-bodied insects, they can be a natural form of pest control. Some people even buy ladybugs and release them in their environment at home as a way to naturally control aphids.
Lacewings can also be helpful. A lacewing is a green bug with clear wings. A characteristic you might look for is the lacewing eggs: a stalk with a glob on the end. We expect a huge influx of lacewings in our orchard soon.
Aphids puncture the leaf tissue and suck out the sap. Not only are they depriving the tree of moisture and all the nutrients that flow with it, they’re also creating a sticky substance on the leaves, called honeydew, which allows sooty mold. That’s bad. Aphids don’t just target pecan leaves, so keep an eye on your other plants, too.
]]>Here in the Welcome Center Gift Shop, we often have visitors who ask us about the best pecan varieties to plant. We put together this list to show you differences in some popular Texas pecans. You might already have some of these in your own backyard. If you’re trying to decide which varieties to plant, check out the information below.
The Burkett is one of the oldest pecan varieties in Texas, but only plant this tree if you live in West Texas. If it’s planted anywhere else in Texas, it will be more susceptible to disease and insect problems.
No matter where you are in Texas, rest assured that the Caddo will do just fine. The Caddo tree has strong limbs, disease resistance, and appealing leaves that are a dark green color. The nuts will start to grow after about five years, but they’ll bear a lot annually.
The Cheyenne is a small tree that begins producing a mature, high quality crop in about five to seven years. The Cheyenne is very susceptible to aphids, so it should not be grown in the northern Panhandle. If you’re planting in Amarillo or Lubbock, this variety is NOT for you.
Choctaw trees tend to be a bit high maintenance. Without the perfect soil and proper management, they won’t produce a reliable crop. However, carefully nurtured Choctaw trees can yield beautiful foliage and large, flavorful, high quality nuts.
Desirable is a great match for land owners in East, South, and Central Texas who usually experience humid climates (e.g., Houston, Galveston, AND our lovely Brazos Valley). Before planting, keep in mind that this tree takes eight to ten years to bear nuts. It isn’t a heavy bearer, but it’s dependable.
The Kiowa has the attractive, large, dark green foliage that is most sought after and large nuts, but this variety can be fairly inconsistent.
Originating in Oklahoma, the Maramec is a large and consistent pecan tree. It yields best in North Texas, close to its native homeland.
The Mohawk is another North Texas tree. Beware: this tree matures early, but the quality of the nut decreases as it ages.
The Pawnee, as the name predicts, is recommended for growing in the Texas Panhandle. It ripens early and has a natural resistance to aphids, but more studying must be done and trial use is recommended.
The Sioux has a high quality, small nut, but requires fungicide sprays in areas with high humidity. The Texas Coast is not the best place for this tree, requiring extra care and full attention.
The Western, as the name suggests, should only be grown in West Texas. It needs a dry climate in order to lower the risk of scab disease. If these climate requirements are achieved, this will be the most low maintenance tree you have ever planted!
Happy Planting!
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The orchard has been in the "Budbreak" phase since about mid-March. During this time, the buds swell and break out of their protective covering, and a short time after tiny leaves begin to unfurl. If you've been following us on Instagram, you've seen the bright green leaves begin to dot the trees and our orchard team spraying nutrients onto the new leaves.
Between budbreak and pollination, catkins (pollen-producing flowers growing on stalks) begin to appear, harbingers of a bountiful crop. If no catkins are seen it is very likely the nut crop will be light. You can see many of our trees are loaded with catkins. Any day now, the catkins will burst open and release pollen into the orchard.
Right now, the orchard floor is thick with ryegrass and wild flowers, and the trees have burst out with new pale green leaves and lots of FLOWERS.
“Flowers?” You may ask. “On a PECAN tree?”
Many people don’t realize that pecan trees flower, but they do. In fact, pecan trees produce two types of flowers. The pollen-producing male flowers that grow in long tight clusters called catkins develop first. The female flowers, or nut-producing flowers, emerge a few days later.
In pecans, both types of flowers are found on the same tree, unlike cottonwood and mulberry which have separate male and female trees. (When you buy a fruitless mulberry or a cottonless cottonwood at the garden center, you are actually buying a male tree.)
But even though both types of flowers are found on the same pecan tree, most varieties are not very efficient at self-pollination. Every variety is classified into one of two categories. Protandrous varieties are those which shed their pollen before the nut-producing flower on the same tree is receptive. Protogynous varieties are just the opposite. The nut-producing flowers are receptive before the pollen on that same tree is shed.
As a result, we at Royalty Pecan Farm have planted both types of varieties in close proximity to each other to ensure adequate pollination. We'll have more orchard updates, including how pecan trees are pollinated over the next week or so as things progress in the orchard. Spoiler: pecan trees are not pollinated by bees.
Follow us on IG @royaltypecans
]]>Coffee is such a staple in our lives, and it’s easy to fall into habits that can indirectly affect the taste of our morning brew. We drink Southern Pecan Coffee pretty exclusively here at the farm, and our biggest coffee fanatics put together the below list to help you get maximum enjoyment from your Southern Pecan Coffee.
Picture this: it’s summertime in Texas and the local bank sign reads 102 degrees Fahrenheit. You walk into your nearest corner grocery store, and just as you reach the produce aisle you see it. There’s a ten-pound watermelon, dripping with fresh condensation, and it has your name written all over it. You rush to the check-out line and eventually tote your refreshing watermelon to your 42nd annual family reunion. Little did you know that you just participated in the final step of agricultural farming, and by purchasing one simple watermelon, you have forever changed the economic values of that particular food group.
Whoa … pretty intense stuff, right? We’ll explain.
Economic values have a large impact on the relationship between farmers and consumers. The more product farmers grow or raise, the more consumers purchase, and the more the price goes down. For this reason, consumers usually purchase food items from grocery stores that are farmed by traditional means due to the lower price.
Traditional agriculture serves its purpose and can feed large quantities of people in a short amount of time. However, these results are achieved by the use of various pesticides and chemicals to keep the level of insects at a minimum. While this method may be speedy, it sometimes delivers unwanted results, such as ruined soil and the risk of disease in humans (sustainabletable.org).
Sustainable agriculture involves a more environmentally friendly and socially responsible form of agriculture that’s also a “way of life” that modern farmers are incorporating into all aspects of their operations.
The U.S. Congress defines Sustainable Agriculture as an integrated system of plant and animal production practices that, over the long-term, are economically viable (profitable), socially supportive, and ecologically sound.
Andy Clark, Communications Director at Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, described a few of the alternative methods used in sustainable agriculture. “Sustainable agriculture involves improving the soil’s ways of managing pests (weeds and insects) by using tactics like crop rotation, covering crops, increasing the different types of crops, and selling to local consumers rather than larger markets,” said Clark.
So when you see that perfect watermelon or other farm raised product, remember that each piece of food that’s shipped to your nearest grocery store has a story. It’s important to make sure yours has a good one.
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Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette
Prep time: 5 min Cook Time: 10 min Servings: 1.5 cups
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place Royalty Pecans Pecan Halves on a cookie sheet.
2. Bake the pecans, stirring occasionally, until toasted and fragrant. Around 10 minutes. Cool completely. Coarsely chop the pecans.
3. In a high-powered blender or food processor, add pecans, vinegar, syrup, and shallots. While blending, slowly add in Royalty Pecan Pecan Oil. Blend until completely smooth. Add broth or water as needed to thin.
4. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
5. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks
]]>We use a unique piece of equipment to trim the pecan trees; you won't find another exactly like it.
Andy, our Orchard Manager, was able to grab this video of Nekota hedging this block of pecan trees. It's important we hedge the trees this time of year for a couple reasons. One, the trees are still dormant so there's less leaves and debris. Two, bud break is just around the corner. We hedge the trees now, so the leaves that come in over the next month or two have less competition for nutrients and sunlight, and are better positioned to yield a beautiful crop. If the trees aren't hedged regularly, the leaves and branches can become overcrowded and reduce sunlight to the inner most or lower most branches.
Next month is bud break. Isn’t April a little late for trees to be leafing out? Let’s talk about that next time.
You can find out more about our orchard by joining us on an Orchard Tour, hosted by Andy Sherrod, our Orchard Manager. Book tickets here.
]]>Royalty Pecan Honey, it's back! But let me clear one thing up. This is not pecan honey. Pecans don't need pollinators, like bees, to spread the pollen. The wind does that. This is honey from Royalty Pecan Farms. We have about 15 hives on the farm. An area beekeeper has a few and I keep a few, just as a hobby.
So why do we sell honey at all? Well, it's local. Consuming local honey that's loaded with local pollen can help with allergies. Buying honey from Royalty Pecan Farm supports the local economy. And honey? Well, it's just plain good. You can buy liquid honey or honey comb from our Farm Store or online, while supplies last. Sweet!
]]>Now why do we do that? Pecans are very high in oil. Up to 70%, by weight, of that nutlet is oil. It's a heart healthy oil and it's good for your system, but the trouble with oil is that it degrades. It oxidizes at room temperature fairly quickly. This doesn’t happen in one or two days, or even one or two weeks. But when left out for two or three months at ambient room temperature, those oils begin to oxidize and the quality of that kernel begins to diminish.
So the best thing for you to do when you buy your fresh pecans from Royalty Pecans is to take them home and put them straight into your freezer. In-shell or shelled, it doesn't matter! Putting them into the freezer arrests that oxidation process so that when you pull them out again, they're just as fresh as the day we picked them. You can freeze and thaw the pecans as many times as you like, it really doesn't matter. It won't affect the flavor of them. But the best place for you to keep them is in your deep freeze. We've worked hard to put that quality in. You can keep it there by putting your pecans in the freezer.
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So how do they benefit the orchard in the first place? It improves the water infiltration through the soil profile, their tunnels and presence in the soil create avenues for the rainwater to get down to the roots so the roots can more readily take up that water and feed the crop.
They contribute to the soil aeration. Now, believe it or not, soil needs air pockets, microscopic pores in the profile that allows the roots to breed. Now with the equipment that we run in the orchard with our shredders and harvesters and other management practices, all that weight creates a soil compaction and it squeezes out the air pours, and the roots begin to suffer. But the presence of earthworms continues to fluff up the soil and create the avenues of air pockets and water down to the roots.
All of these three components contribute to a term that we call soil tilth. Without adequate tilth any crop (pecans included) would suffer as a result. When you think about us managing the top for the crop, we have to pay close attention to the roots - that's the other half of the tree that's essential to pecan production. So if the soil were not healthy, the earthworms wouldn't be here. And without the earthworms, the canopy would suffer and the crop would suffer as well. So we pay close attention to the roots. When the roots are healthy, the canopy is healthy and that produces a healthy crop for you to enjoy in the fall.
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We used berries for this cake, but you can use apples, strawberries, pineapple, or any other fruit. Fresh pecans add delicious flavor and crunch, and pecan flour adds light texture to the cake. It’s perfect on its own or with a scoop of fresh vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 (21 oz) can blueberry pie filling
2 cups fresh mixed berries
8 oz pecan pieces
1 box yellow cake mix
Pecan flour
1 stick of butter
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a 9x13 inch pan, mix pie filling and fresh berries. Add dry cake mix over the berry mixture. Add the layer of pecan pieces on top. Add a thin layer of pecan flour. Finish with a layer of thinly sliced butter on top of the pecan flour.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown
]]>That's a really long name for a very small moth that lays an egg on the terminal end of these clusters. The larva burrows in the side of each one, kills it, eats it, it falls to the ground. With enough time, that whole cluster can be eliminated and lose the potential to produce any pecans this fall. This is an annually occurring cycle, but science has given us a tool to monitor the beginning of the lifecycle of this insect.
This trap (pictured) is a pheromone trap. A pheromone is an odor that insects use to communicate with each other. This particular pheromone attracts the male pecan nut casebearer moth. Inside these traps, there's a card and it looks like a rubber stopper, but this contains the synthetic pheromone that attracts the moths. Here is an example of a card that contains several male pecan nut casebearer moths. Here’s how it works. I'll put several of these traps out early in the season before the life cycle begins, and we'll get several nights of no catches at all. However, one night will catch 2 or 3, and the next night 5 or 6, and the next night 10 or 12. Well, then we know the life cycle has begun, and the female pecan nut casebearer moths are being fertilized. Seven days after the beginning of the fertilization period, the females will lay eggs on the terminal ends of these nut clusters. Well, 7 to 10 days after that those eggs are going to hatch, the larvae will burrow into the sides of those nutlets and the crop is gone.
It's that narrow 7 to 10 day window that we're looking for, and that's the time that we can act. We use a product that is specific only to killing the larvae of moths. Since that's the only moth in the orchard right now, the ladybugs, the lacewings, the spiders, and all similarly beneficial insects are totally unaffected. They're present in sufficient numbers to control another type of pest, the yellow pecan aphid, so we don't have to treat for that pest.
This specific method of insect control fits beautifully into the sustainable agricultural production model that we implement here at the farm. We target the bad guy (in this case, the yellow pecan aphid), so the good guys (lady bugs, spiders, lacewings, etc) are in abundant numbers to control the pest. We don't have to use chemicals to do that, and it fits that sustainable agricultural production model. Now the reason the yellow pecan aphid is so detrimental to pecan production, is that there are three generations of this insect every year. If we aren't vigilant to kill the first, the second one even larger has the potential to cause more damage. And if the second isn't sufficiently controlled, the third generation can cause significant damage. Right now, that's what we're doing in the orchard. We're monitoring for pests and we'll soon be controlling major pests including pecan nut casebearer and yellow pecan aphid so we’ll have ample delicious and fresh pecans in the fall for you to enjoy.
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The first kind of flowers on the trees are the flowers that produce the pollen. Pecan trees have stalks called “catkins” that produce pollen. These stalks have tiny little flowers that contain the pollen that's necessary to fertilize the fruiting flowers. On the very same tree, there are also flowers that are going to produce the pecans in the fall. These flowers are tiny and cluster together on the tree.
Now, every pecan tree can be classified in one of two ways. One is called protandrous. That's where the pollen is shed before the fruiting flower on the same tree is ready for it. That's protandrous. Protogynous, that's where the fruiting flower, the flower that will produce the nuts in the fall is ready for pollen. But the pollen on that same tree isn't necessarily ready to be shed.
Every single variety is either protagonists or protagonists. Pecan trees will self pollinate, but they're not very efficient at it. And in order for us to ensure a good fruit set here in the orchard, we have to plant compatible varieties in close proximity to each other. So every row is designated with a color code. For example, the Desirable trees are planted in rows next to rows of Kiowa. One variety is Protagoras and the other one is protagonists. We have to plant them this way in order to ensure good pollination. If we didn't, we wouldn't have those high quality pecans that you come to expect from Royalty Pecans farm in the fall.
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Smoothies make the perfect to-go breakfast or mid-day snack. Packed with nutrient-rich fruits and veggies, this superfood blend is sure to be filling and refreshing.
Use blueberries to add plenty of antioxidants. Spinach is extremely nutrient-rich and provides vitamins A, C, and K. The pecans add nutty and flavorful depth as well as heart-healthy benefits, fiber, and phytonutrients.
In a serving of pecans, you’ll get monounsaturated fats, zero cholesterol and zero sodium, and when compared with other nuts, pecans are among the lowest in carbs and highest in fiber. Pecans are a good source of nutrients like zinc, copper and manganese which boost metabolic health, and antioxidant vitamins A & E. This superfood is an easy addition to your everyday meals, including this refreshing smoothie.
Servings: makes about 2 cups
You’ll need:
Directions:
If you're looking for a creamy treat (like the one pictured above) add an extra banana or coconut oil, and be careful not to over blend.
]]>P.S. Have you pre-ordered the new crop pecans yet?
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
This question is very common, and pretty easy to answer. It has a lot to do with how the pecans are grown, but also how they're handled after they're harvested. Pecans have an immense amount of high quality, heart healthy oil inside. At room temperature, that oil begins to oxidize, and it starts to darken the kernel. That’s oftentimes what you see with these store bought pecans.
Store bought pecans are not held in the freezer like ours are. As soon as our pecans are shelled, they go straight to the freezer at zero degrees until they're ready to be sold. When customers order them online or come to our store, they come out of the freezer, and are kept in a refrigerated cold case in the store until ready to ship or pick up. Holding fresh pecans at refrigeration temperatures allows the customer to take the pecans home and enjoy it just as if it came off the tree.
Here’s an example to demonstrate the difference between Royalty Pecans and some store bought pecans. I think you can tell quite quickly which pecans are farm fresh, and which ones are store bought. These particular pecans were grown in 2019, but they look like they came right off the tree, don't they? The store bought pecans in the picture were not handled properly after harvest. They've turned dark, and those heart healthy oils previously mentioned have oxidized, ruining any benefit they may have offered. The quality of the pecan (taste and appearance) suffers, and rancidity begins to build inside the kernel.
[Read More About the Health Benefits of Pure Pecan Oil]
[Pecans Are Heart Healthy Foods]
You’ll also note some of these pecans are not as plump, or as well filled as some of the others. Unfortunately, this has everything to do with the way that they're grown, including the management of the trees and making sure the trees don't go into stress. Well managed orchards are going to produce those nice plump pecans, which is indicative of healthy, well-fed trees during the growing season. In the picture above, you probably noticed one of the darker pecans is also a very nice, plump pecan, but it wasn't handled well after harvest, so it's probably going to have a bit of a bitter taste. A lot of hard work goes into keeping a pecan orchard healthy and well-fed, and it’s disappointing to see the work ruined by poor handling of the pecans after harvest. This could have easily been avoided had the pecans remained in the freezer or a refrigeration unit until ready to be sold. You’ll find a lot of grocery stores don’t keep their pecans in a cold unit, instead storing them on a shelf.
One other thing I see in our example here, this is called embryo rot (above). Do you see how the back part of the spine of the kernel is starting to turn dark? It indicates the tree was in stress in the final stages of its growth, and that's what caused the embryo to die.
You can read more about how we care for our trees, as well as get tips on how to keep your pecans as fresh as possible here:
[Read More About Sustainable Farming]
[Find Out How to Keep Your Pecans Fresh]
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Orchard Manager Andy Sherrod introduces a new feature to our Farm, Grocery Club. Never run out of fresh pecans again, and keep your favorite treats always on hand. Subscribe and save with Grocery Club.
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Honey is back on the shelf, in our store or online while supplies last. A local beekeeper has a few hives on the property, and I keep a few as a hobby.
Now if you've ever wanted to take up beekeeping, it's easy! But you need to go into it well prepared. First, connect with your local beekeeper association. It's filled with amateurs and professionals and they're there to help answer your questions. Second, find the proper gear. Bees can be docile, but not always. First, you're going to need some protective gear. I've got a jacket and a veil. Some people use an entire bee suit. This is essential to keep you from getting stung.
The second essential component is a smoker. Now the smoker masks the attack pheromone that's often given off when bee colonies are opened up. A little bit of smoke will confuse the bees. They won't be able to sense that attack pheromone and you'll be able to work the colony without too much problem.
You'll also need gloves to handle the frames and protect your hands from being stung. Then you're going to need a hive tool. This is used to pry the lid off. And it's also used to pry the frames apart so you can lift them out and examine the bees to judge their health and condition.
Getting started is easy. The best time to get started is in the spring. You can buy what's called a package from a supplier. A package of bees includes a queen, some nurse bees, and some workers. You introduce this package into your own brood box.
You can also buy what's called a nucleus - we call them a “nuc”. A nuc is a five-frame box that includes an established queen with the cells filled with brood, honey and nectar and plenty of nurse bees and worker bees to keep the colony strong. It's a working colony, but just a smaller version of the larger ten-frame wooden box.
You can capture a swarm to expand your bee yard. And that's what I do. I have these swarm traps around the orchard and out in the woods. This size (pictured) is presumably the proper size for swarms that are looking for a new home to fill.
They like this particular size and shape and void that this creates. So I'll hang these on trees out in the woods. I'll put some empty frames inside for them to get started. Once the swarm becomes established, I bring the trap home, put it in a nuc box and we're ready to go.
You can also do what’s called a split. You open an existing colony, remove five frames of brood, nectar and honey, and bees that are covering the frames, and put them into an empty brood box. The old queen stays with the old colony. Buy a queen and yes you can buy queens from the Queen store and introduce her into the new brood box. Once she's accepted. You've got two functioning colonies ready to grow.
Beekeeping is a fascinating hobby with sweet rewards.
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Not only is a meat smoker a great gift idea, but smoked meats are a popular staple at holiday feasts. Many Americans choose to smoke their turkeys versus slow cooking or roasting it in the oven. With the holidays fast approaching, we offer our advice on how to successfully smoke your meats with pecan wood or shells.
First, run your pecan wood chunks through a shredder. This breaks the wood into good sized pieces. Pecan hulls or shells are also an option. Due to the smaller size of the chips and shells, they provide a burst of natural, mild smoke flavor to foods. Soaking wood chips or shells in water for about 30 minutes generates steam that adds moisture and heat to the smoking process. This method also prolongs burning time.
The key with wood chips/shells is to deny the wood of oxygen so it smolders and smokes. Pecan is a recommended smoking product for poultry, beef, pork, lamb, and game meats. You can use your pecan chips and shells in smoke generators, electric/gas/charcoal grills, and smoke boxes. Check with the manufacture of your particular smoker for instructions on usage.
Royalty Pecan Farms offers shells for instore purchase, as they are available.
Interesting links:
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