OSU’s Pecan Management Course offers something for new and veteran growers

Thursday, January 26, 2017

They are tasty in a pie, make a savory addition to a crusted chicken and make a great treat as part of a candy turtle. However, for those more interested in the growing aspect of the pecan as opposed to the baking opportunities, make plans to attend the 2017 Oklahoma Pecan Management Course offered by Oklahoma State University.

Slated to begin Feb. 28 and run one Tuesday a month through Oct. 17, this course will provide participants with a wealth of research- and science-based information, said Becky Carroll, OSU Cooperative Extension assistant specialist, fruit crops and pecans.

“Many people have benefitted from the valuable information they gain from participating in this course. We’ve been offering it for about 20 years and it’s just as popular as ever,” Carroll said. “The Oklahoma pecan industry has been steady over the years with harvests of about 18 million pounds per year. Pecans definitely have a positive economic impact on our state.”

With information being presented both in a classroom setting, as well as hands-on in the orchard and through a web-based component, the goal is to provide an in-depth educational experience for everyone enrolled, including perspective, novice and experienced growers. Speakers sharing their expertise will include industry professionals and specialists from both OSU and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.

The class will meet from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cimarron Valley Research Station near Perkins, Oklahoma, with the exception of June.

A registration fee of $250 per person is due by Feb. 14. For more information, please call Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404, or email her at stephanie.larimer@okstate.edu. Participants may register online at http://okpecans.okstate.edu/pecan-management-course.

“We’ll focus on the prioritization and practical application of major management practices according to the pecan growing season,” Carroll said.

Each of the monthly workshops will cover subjects dealing with pecan management during that particular part of the growing season. The course will begin with site selection, equipment needs, planting a bareroot tree, starting rootstock trees and insect management.

Throughout the course, other topics will include pruning and training, sprayer calibration and maintenance, Mesonet tools, improving native groves, weed control, crop load estimates, insect management, alternate bearing, business plans and marketing, pesticide applicators licensing, wildlife control, pecan variety selection, harvest demonstrations and much more.

“We’re excited to offer this course to those with an interest in the pecan industry as a way to help them make the most of their production efforts or to provide them with the information they need to get started in the industry,” Carroll said.

Participants also may attend the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association meeting in Tulsa in June since there is no workshop scheduled that month. The fee for attending this meeting is not included in the registration fee for the 2017 Oklahoma Pecan Management course.

For more information about the OPGA, please visit the group’s website at www.okpecangrowers.com. Additional information is available on OSU’s pecan page at http://okpecans.okstate.edu/.