Sunday, October 24, 2010

another post about pecans



oh, geez, not another post about pecans

I know, I know, but it's the season doncha know.

This is an off year for pecans and not just my trees. Apparently it's across the board as prices for the new crop are high. Last year I collected 7 grocery paper bags full of nuts, at least. This year, a little over half a bag. I even stopped carrying a bucket as I was only picking up a handful or pocketful a day. Gazing up, I could see the trees were tenaciously hanging onto the nuts they hadn't dropped prematurely and I figured that they would become the ones that turn into all the little trees I will be digging up next spring. At least until a couple of days ago.

We finally got enough of a wind, instead of the slight breeze we had been enjoying, to loosen the trees' grip on the nuts. I've collected almost as many in the last couple of days as I had in the couple of weeks preceding. Now I have a full bag of pecans. Still, only a fraction of what I collected last year.

I have tried to find out from people smarter and wiser than I in all ways country how you can tell if they are good or bad before you crack them open. Well, weight is a factor but mostly, in answer to my question people just look at me and shake their heads. Whether they were shaking their heads in answer or at my foolishness in asking, I can't say.

So, in my quest to get more reward for my effort I have come up with a new plan. Actually, this is the second new plan. The first being that I have been picking up all the immature pecans as they have fallen this late summer, and not just because they make me hobble around when I am outside barefoot but because it takes a lot of nuts out of the equation. You know, the good nut/bad nut equation. Hey! I heard that! So my second new plan is I'm going to weigh the nuts and divide them into groups.

This is referred to as the 'scientific method'. I bet you thought I didn't know that.

The heaviest group will go straight to the cracker. The less heavy groups will be tested by hand to see what the ratio of good nuts is to bad nuts. Half and half or better goes straight to the cracker. Less than that, we'll just have to see.


14 comments:

  1. I don't know jack about nuts! But I've watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, so I advise you find a few squirrels to do the testing ;-) Just kidding, I'm sure you'd figure things out. Hope you have enough to make something yummy!

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  2. After travelling through the central valley of California I can appreciate this post about nuts. It's serious business out there, how they are grown, nurtured, and harvested. I've got to have my small handful of nuts each day, shelled and, most of all, convenient.

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  3. I hope you keep lots of charts and spreadsheets ... haha - sorry one of my brother-in-laws (well actually ex-brother-in-laws, there are mpre of them than current brother-in-laws) charted everything...

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  4. I think you are really a squirrel.

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  5. LOL at Fireblossom. I'll ask my dad tonight if he has a method for telling if they're good or not. He can't look at me funny - it will be over the phone.

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  6. Since we only get a few nutz from the neighbors tree, I wish I could tell you but I don't have enough experience in weighing nutz to be of help. I am nutz but that doesn't help either and I've had enough experience with that but that doesn't help either. The Olde Bagg

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  7. Sounds like a lot of work and a lot of time spent for questionable results. Is it worth the effort? I'm only asking, I know even less about Pecans or any other kind of nut than you say you do.

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  8. sounds nuts...

    but I do love pecans.

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  9. ellen - i like madamebutterfly's comment and i'll add that when this is al done you'll need to publish the results somewhere like one of the big science magazines and become seriously famous or something!!! steven

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  10. Once you figure it out, you can tell the answer to all those head-shaking people - not that they deserve it - but maybe they should have thought of a scientific method like yours, being smarter and wiser than you (but not really, are they?)

    Enjoy!

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  11. How wonderful to live where you can scoop up pecans from the yard! My squirrels would love you and your trees!

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  12. This post has definitely gone to Ellen a handbasket

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  13. You have something at Pagan Culture that says you are stylish, not that you didn't know, but I wanted to say it again.

    Stop by and claim it! http://pagan-culture.blogspot.com/2010/10/stylish-versatile-and-lovely-plus.html

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  14. Wow - free pecans, well sort of. Still for the cost of store bought it is well worth the effort & you seem to have found a good way of deciding if they are worthy.

    What is your favorite recipe? [& please don't say pecan pie - that makes my mouth glue shut. hee]

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.