 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Alabama Pecan Growers Whaley Pecan Company
Whaley Pecan
Co. is a family-owned pecan business started in 1937 with four generations of
the Whaley family involved. They buy pecans, shell pecans at their shelling
plant, and sell pecans and pecan products wholesale retail and mail order. Host
Bob Whaley and Bobby Drinkard will show us the shelling plant, and explain how
they buy, process, and sell pecans.
Pecan cultivars are the foundation of a
successful orchard. In the Southeast, there are major challenges from
pests, especially pecan scab. In addition profitability is enhanced by
having high quality productive cultivars with early harvest dates. The
E. V. Smith Research Center is one of several locations where Auburn
University is evaluating many exciting and potentially industry changing
new cultivars. Bill Goff, Cathy Browne, and Monte Nesbitt will take us
through the
Research plantings. We’ll see the new selections, describe the
evaluation procedures, and identify several highly – promising new pecan
cultivars for the Southeast.
Riverbend Pecans
With 457
acres in production, Riverbend Pecans, north of Lowndesboro on the Alabama
River, is Alabama’s largest pecan orchard. The original trees were planted in
1986-1988, mainly to Cape Fear, Kiowa, Desirable, and Stuart cultivars. Recently
a major renovation effort was begun, with tree removal to reduce overcrowding,
irrigation improvements, planting of about 10,000
young trees. Emphasis with the new plantings will be early harvest and
scab resistance using Excel, Lakota, Baby B, Apalachee, Mandan, Giftpack, Caddo,
and Creek cultivars. Also at this site is an evaluation of scab resistant
cultivars in cooperation with Auburn University. Former farm manager Jerry
Ingram, a past-President of our Association, will share the history of the
orchard. Current manager Matt Goff will be our host and will describe the
renovation effort.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
