Pickin' pecans

     We had the Chetopa third grade class come out to the Pecan Field for a lesson on pecan growing and pecan harvest. The kids love to feel the ground shake when I use our tree shaker on a tree I've selected for them to harvest. It is amazing to see all those squirmy 9-year-old kids get down on the ground and concentrate on finding pecans amongst the leaves (Photo at right).
     These same kids went up to my wife's apple orchard later that day to learn about apple harvest. They returned to school loaded down with pecans and apples. This week they will be making apple crisp with the produce they picked themselves. 
    As nut growers, we all have a duty to teach the children in our communities how their food is grown. Just think of it as investing in future customers.