I rode the bike south today to see how pecans fare in the desert. Along the way I passed a power pole with nails and tacks from years of electioneering. All the signs have blown or rotted away, as will the ones to come in October-November.
Thousands of big pecan trees, all looking dry and dead, have dropped their leaves,
and some have dropped all their nuts.
It’s harvest time south of Tucson, and the first thing to do is get the nuts into rows. A tractor pulls them in from the sides with big rotating brushes, while on its tail, a blower moves the ones too close to the trees to reach, blows them into the next aisle.
Then a huge vacuum cleaner lifts the nuts, separates out the leaves and sprays them into its trailer.
Sharon, I did not know you were visiting the nuts too! (By oincidence) I served pecans tonight, did they blow all the way here? At our after Caltech poetry party... Salmon w/ pecan. I love the group that came and the enduring poets who read by lamplight. Taura's roommate Chuck joined us too, and Liz and Bryan and Keiko as well... We all wish you were here, but love following your adventures...
ReplyDeleteOhhhh tree stories. My favorite. Thanks for explaining where pecans come from, and how they are processed. Do they put in new topsoil after blowing it all away? It looks as though all of the trees were pruned in the same way, they look eerily alike...or just optimally productive.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying your blog, have a safe trek. Liz
Yes, Kathabela, I am visiting nuts too, and will go high into the mountains during the next three days of backpacking where pines may also feed me with nuts.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you Liz, if only among eery productive trees, and the topsoil seems not to be gone with all the blowing.