I had three goals for this month: conquer the ironing mound, crack ALL the pecans, and finish the quilt I started last August. Numbers one & 2 are done! :) Number three, well if I finish it by February 1 I will consider myself very, very successful. (And yes, this is the quilt I was going to finish in September, October and December of 2011).
Pecans... About 15 years ago my father-in-law noticed that there were small trees sprouting throughout the fields, courtesy of Hurricane Fran. He wasn't certain, but he thought they might be pecan trees. So he started mowing around them. At least 7 of those are on our property. The first year we were married, I came home on day and walked straight into a stick! I looked, startled, and we had 6 sticks sticking up in a semi-circle across our back yard. I went aside and called Bobby. He laughed and said his Mom had called him at work, saying his Dad and Uncle were planting pecan trees at our house. I was a little startled. The next time I saw him, he asked me if they had planted them in the right place. I smiled and nodded, thinking "And what would you do if they weren't? Dig them up, which would kill them?" For the record, they were artistically placed. Not too close to the house for when they are full grown, and also nicely spaced for shade and still giving us a decent yard in the back.
Since then, I've learned several things. There are many types of pecan trees. Like most fruit or nut trees, there has to be more than one type planted for cross-pollination. Pecan trees take 10-15 years to reach nut-bearing maturity.
Three years ago we had our first "crop" and it was pleasingly a decent sized one. The next year, about 1/3 of that. BUT, we learned that is common with nut trees. Every other year is supposed to be a decent crop year. I had 3/4 a peck bucket, and them Bobby was able to get a grocery bag full from someone at work. I never got around to shelling them. This year, we had 3/4 a peck bucket again. I was determined that ALL of them were going to be shelled before the month was out (and get them out of my laundry room and hallway!)
I had forgotten when we had to replant some of the trees that died we went with 2 additional variaties. I know that one is supposed to be small, but I hope they do grow to be bigger than the smallest one here! It's only twice the size of my smallest fingernail! We had some that were wider than the others, the normal size, and then skinny, unusually long one. And no, other than Cape something and one started with a B, I don't remember the names.
And while I shouldn't be thankful for this, the 2011 bucket (the bag on the left) was 70% bad. That made shelling go much faster. Between extra weights at the gym this week and 2-4 hours of shelling a day, my arms are tired!
Pecans... About 15 years ago my father-in-law noticed that there were small trees sprouting throughout the fields, courtesy of Hurricane Fran. He wasn't certain, but he thought they might be pecan trees. So he started mowing around them. At least 7 of those are on our property. The first year we were married, I came home on day and walked straight into a stick! I looked, startled, and we had 6 sticks sticking up in a semi-circle across our back yard. I went aside and called Bobby. He laughed and said his Mom had called him at work, saying his Dad and Uncle were planting pecan trees at our house. I was a little startled. The next time I saw him, he asked me if they had planted them in the right place. I smiled and nodded, thinking "And what would you do if they weren't? Dig them up, which would kill them?" For the record, they were artistically placed. Not too close to the house for when they are full grown, and also nicely spaced for shade and still giving us a decent yard in the back.
Since then, I've learned several things. There are many types of pecan trees. Like most fruit or nut trees, there has to be more than one type planted for cross-pollination. Pecan trees take 10-15 years to reach nut-bearing maturity.
Three years ago we had our first "crop" and it was pleasingly a decent sized one. The next year, about 1/3 of that. BUT, we learned that is common with nut trees. Every other year is supposed to be a decent crop year. I had 3/4 a peck bucket, and them Bobby was able to get a grocery bag full from someone at work. I never got around to shelling them. This year, we had 3/4 a peck bucket again. I was determined that ALL of them were going to be shelled before the month was out (and get them out of my laundry room and hallway!)
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