FAQ's
Here are the answers to questions we often hear. Have one that wasn't addressed? Give us a call!
"Do you give tours of your orchards?"
We usually only conduct tours for larger educational and industry groups of more than 20 people. However, we do have a video on our homepage that gives a brief look at our native and improved orchards in Fentress, Texas. Contact us to see if we can accommodate your group for a tour.
"Can I bring my family to your orchards to pick pecans?"
Unfortunately, we do not allow the general public to come pick pecans in our orchards at this time.
"Can you harvest or manage my pecan orchard?"
We do harvest and manage orchards in Caldwell and other surrounding counties, but we usually won't harvest orchards that are too far away from us. Contact us to see if your orchard fits the bill!
"How do you price your lumber and slabs?"
We price and sell our lumber by the board footage. Rarer wood varieties for our area such as Mesquite and Walnut will have a higher price per board foot. Our wood slabs are priced individually by their species and features.
"Will you buy or come pick up a log that has fallen on my property?"
We normally do not buy logs. Contact us if you have questions about your logs.
"Are you Certified Organic?"
We are not Certified Organic and we do not hide this fact. However, we do strive to implement Regenerative Farming Practices and believe in being good stewards of the soil, animals, trees, and nuts that support us. We do not use herbicides in our orchards. We also have an IPM (Integrated Pest Management Program) that helps us react properly and responsibly to rising pest populations, and we only use sprays (fungicide and pesticide) when necessary; we DO NOT treat unnecessarily or on a quick-reaction basis.
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Take a look at our recent Regenerative Farming Efforts and partnerships with local Texas businesses to be good stewards of nature.
"Are pecans healthy for me?"
Check out the following website to learn more about pecan nutrition:
"I thought a pecan was a pecan; there are different types of pecans?"
Just as there are different breeds of cows or dogs, there are also different breeds of plants. There are over 1,000 different varieties of pecan tree that are grown throughout the southern United States, South America, Africa, Mexico, and in China.
These different "breeds" (cultivars/varieties) of tree have been selectively bred to perform better in the different environments they are planted. Pecan breeders also select for tree performance in different environments, shell thickness, size of the nut meat, percent yield of the nut meat compared to shell, and the sizes of the grooves on a pecan kernel.
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We currently grow 13 different varieties of pecan tree (including natives) in our orchards. An example of some of these names are Pawnee, Oconee, Nacono, Kanza, Caddo, and Desirable.
"What makes your pecans different from store-bought pecans?"
Our pecans are different from the pecans you might find at the grocery store for four reasons.
We store them in our freezers the moment they come out of the shell so they stay fresh and don't go rancid.
We sell our pecans by the variety of tree they come from instead of bagging the nuts by size; each pecan variety has a slightly different flavor and texture which is why we choose to sell them by variety.
We are transparent about the harvest year the pecans came from.
We have been growing pecans locally for over 20 years and win awards yearly for quality.
"Why are pecans so expensive?"
As with any product, quality is an indicative factor of price. We spend many hours and labor on proper orchard management, pecan sorting, adding value (cracking, shelling, sorting) and storage to bring you a product that is of the highest quality and taste (This can be seen in our Texas County, Regional, and State Pecan awards for quality). Even with our higher quality, we still sell our retail pecans at one of the lower prices in the area that can be found at other pecan stores.
"How should I store my pecans?"
We recommend you store your shelled and in-shell pecans in the freezer where they will retain their healthy oils, freshness, color, and taste for up to 2 years. They can also be stored in the fridge for about 6-12 months before they go rancid.
"When I have tried pecans in the past, they've tasted bitter and unappetizing. Why is that?"
Pecans stored improperly will turn dark brown and taste bad; this is an indication they have turned rancid. Properly stored pecans should be light-brown or gold colored and will taste rich, oily, and have that classic nutty-pecan flavor.
"Do you build furniture?"
We do not build furniture. However, we do have a list of trusted and local carpenters, furniture makers, and woodworkers from the areas around Austin, Houston, San Antonio and San Marcos that we can direct you to for project advice, ideas, or services to help you select and build your wood masterpiece!
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We do offer planing services for slabs and lumber.
"What do I need to know or do before planting my pecan tree?"
Visit the site below to learn proper care and management for pecan trees. If you buy a tree from us, we will give you a free planting guide.
"Do you sell pecan trees?"
We do sell pecan trees! Please call ahead for availability.
"What can I use Pecan Oil for?"
Pecan oil can be used anywhere other traditional culinary oils are used (sauteing, baking, salad dressings, butter substitutes). Pecan oil is currently being used in other applications such as in soaps, exfoliating scrubs, and on leather and woods for preservation. Visit the following website to learn more about the nutritional benefits of pecan oil:
"Do you offer wholesale prices on your Shelled Pecans to restaurants?"
We currently supply restaurants in Austin, New York, San Marcos, Blanco, and Georgetown, with our shelled pecans at wholesale prices. Contact us for a quote and see our list of Restaurant Partners!
"Where can I buy your pecans?"
You can currently buy our pecans at three different locations:
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Our retail store in Fentress, Texas
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At the Pearl Farmers Market in San Antonio, Texas (seasonally at the Weekend Market)
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Online through this website
"Where are your pecans grown?"
Our pecans are grown in Staples and Fentress, Texas in two improved and native orchards all of which are located along the San Marcos River.
"Do you sell firewood?"
We do sell firewood! We can either hand load already split pieces into your vehicle, or we can load a pre-stacked and wrapped pallet (1/3 cord) into your truck or trailer. Call ahead for availability.