Harvest

Harvest is the highlight of our year on the farm, a culmination of all our hard work and careful tending of the trees.  How do we get the pecans off the tree? We give them a good shake!  Our shaker has a padded arm that gently grips the tree trunk and then sends a quick vibration through the tree and shakes the pecans off.  It is absolutely fascinating to watch the nuts rain down and the feel the vibration through the ground.  Once the pecans are on the ground, a machine called the sweeper moves the nuts and leaves into long rows.  Finally, the harvester passes along the swept pecans and gently brushes the pecans and leaves up a long conveyor belt.  A fan in the harvester blows across the conveyor belt with just enough force to blow out the leaves but not the pecans.  The pecans continue along the conveyor belt and fall into a 4’x4′ box ready to be cleaned and shelled.  I marvel at the minds that came up with the equipment that makes pecan harvest so interesting and efficient.