texas

Go Nuts! Now's the Time to Buy Texas Pecans

One Collin County farmer said he's having his best crop in 20 years

At Foster Crossing Pecans in Anna, it is harvest time.

Owner Jim Luscombe said he was having his best crop in 20 years.

Across the state, pecan yields are down. The Texas Farm Bureau reported state pecan trees typically produce 50 million pounds of pecans, but this year's crop is expected to be between 30 million and 36 million.

While some crops in Texas are suffering this year, Luscombe said after he dealt with poor seasons back-to-back, his supply has never been bigger.

He said family has farmed the land since 1914, and in the last 20 years he's grown his pecan orchard from a few trees to 500.

"I'd rather have pecan trees than goats or cows," laughed Luscombe. "They're a lot easier than livestock."

Customers have stopped by to purchase their homegrown pecans for their holiday baking and gifts, or they can bring their own pecans to crack and shell.

Luscombe said when shopping, it's important to remember fresh is best and to pay attention to the color of the pecans.

"When you pick up a package of pecans and they're red in color, or orange color, those are last year's pecans," Luscombe said. "What you want is typically a golden, large pecan that looks good and looks like you want it on top of your pie or your cake."

Luscombe said while he enjoyed selling pecans, his business is about more than that.

"You know we offer pecan therapy," Luscombe said. "The folks that come see us not only want us to buy pecans they want to tell us their pecan story."

He said customers loved to share stories of picking pecans with their grandparents or baking treats with family members.

"All those good memories come out this time of year and they tend to be associated with pecans," he said.

The Texas Pecan Growers Association said customers can expect to pay $15 to $17 per pound of shelled pecan halves on average. They've also created a website where people can find fresh pecans.

For more on Foster Crossing Pecans, click here.

Contact Us