Pecans, crows, and pie

It’s almost time for the annual pecan harvest, which promises to be the best yet. Bill is tending about 30 pecan trees on our 31 acres here at MeadowKnoll, with four or five varieties. Since he doesn't harvest mechanically, these trees are not arranged in rows in an orchard. Instead, he has grafted the native pecans where they have “volunteered,” in the fields, along the watersheds, at the edge of the woods. His theory has been that the native stock has a strong root system, and when a nut finds a place where it can happily germinate, put down roots, and flourish into a small tree, a mature tree will be happy and productive there, too, without a lot of extra water and special care. So he grafts a cultivated pecan--his favorites are the Kiowa and the Choctaw--and lets nature take its course: a non-invasive, non-exploitative, low-input way of cooperating with the land to produce the land's fruits.

Every year, we compete for the pecans with the crows. Now, we enjoy crows: they’re sociable and interesting birds with complex personalities and a strong sense of humor. But when one crow—usually a juvenile who doesn’t yet have a territory—finds a few ripening pecans, he perches in the tree and calls for all his teenaged buddies to share in the feast. This is not philanthropy, mind you: crow-watchers say that crows are willing to share the plunder because a mob of young crows can more easily overwhelm the resident property owners (a dominant crow pair) than a single crow. So when Bill hears one crow calling the gang to come and feast, he takes out his shotgun (loaded with #8, a small shot), not to kill them but to let them know that it’s time to get out of Dodge. They learn fast, he says. The pecans will be ready to harvest by this time next week. Ah. There are pecan pies in our future!

Reading notes: The cawing of a dozen or two of crows, who were talking politics among the pines on the New Hampshire hillside, affected me most agreeably. There was something of real neighborliness about it. I would gladly have taken a hand in the discussion, if they would have let me . . .--Bradford Torrey, Nature’s Invitation.

Comments

[ann Malmquist]

Your new space is wonderful. Just keep on writing the flowing natural way you do- so easy to read and interesting. And hurry up with the next BP book. Willmiss seeing you at the Nov 4 party.

[Patricia Pando]

I'm happy to find you in at the new site. The pecan and crow talk make me homesick for my grandparents' farm in Callahan County, Texas.

Here in South Georgia I have ripe persimmons in the front yard and pecan harvest is underway.

Interesting note, most of Georgia's many, many, many pecan trees were orginally grafts of Texas stock.

[Adrienne Koppenhaver]

I like your new spot. Please don't stop writing. I, too, need periodic doses of China and company as well as Beatrix and her animal friends. Recently read The Tale of Holly How and loved it. Thank you so much.

[Judy Berkshire]

Susan, greetings from the Indiana! We have yet to have a frost here on the farm in Carroll County so I am still harvesting apples and garden vegetables. i love hearing about the pecan trees and the upcoming harvest. Hope you will take more pictures of the actual harvest and post them. The best we can do here in the wild is walnuts and persimmons. The walnuts periodically "thunk" off the tree onto the barn roof. I just tasted a persimmon before I came in; they are getting close to ripe; my mouth didn't pucker at all!

The new blog site looks great!

Judy Berkshire

[Betty Coombs]

I really like the new format/blog host. That's point one.

Point two: do not, I beg, forsake writing for another craft, no matter how discouraging the comments! Couldn't survive without periodic doses of China & Co.
Point three: I chuckled at your reference to flocks of crows. Where I live (Burlington, Ontario) it usually means they have found an owl and are doing their best to chivy it. They succeed sometimes with smaller owls, but the Great Horned simply twist their amzing necks while their eyes follow them with disdain. Glorious arrogance!

[CLAUDETTE CARR]

i enjoy yr books so much. i cant wait for the nest to come out i live at preston,okla and one os my daughter is a nurse in keleen tx i really like and enjoy reading yr email u send me. sence i have MS and have to limit myself u are a heaven sent to me. thank u so much and keep writing claudette

[virginia hotchkiss]

Can't wait for Spanish Dagger!
The historical mystery sites are great. Thanks so much for posting them.
As always all the herb tips are wonderful and we appreciate your keeping such a long list as we sometimes forget them from season to season. Senior moments, you know.

[Kathy]

New blog site is great Susan.. Keep up the good work!