Spring has Sprung, Still Many Cracked Pecans & 'Gold Rush' Apples

   Spring has sprung, and we're very busy pruning all our fruit trees.  Bill is also busy cutting scionwood of pecan varieties, which he sells to pecan growers all over the U.S., who graft the scions onto rootstock trees in their pecan orchards.

Crocus bloomed through the melting snow on Feb. 24.

   We still have many cracked pecans and 'Gold Rush' apples for sale.  From Dec. 16 to June 14 we're open by appointment.  That means to phone 620-597-2450 a day ahead, and leave a message on our answering machine with your name, day and time you'll come, and what you want to buy.  You can make an appointment to arrive here between 10 a.m. and 12 noon, or between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays.

   If you're driving on Highway 166, see our highway sign, and come up to our farm, you'll see the sign on our sales building saying we're open by appointment and to phone 620-597-2450.  You can call that number, which is a landline to our house, and if I'm in the house, I'll come out to the sales building.

   If it's nice weather I'm out pruning, so ring the bell on the sales building porch very loudly, and I'll come over to the sales building.  But if you know you'll be coming this way, please phone 620-597-2450 a day ahead and make an appointment.  Thanks.

We had many beautiful sunrises in February.

   We had a great pecan crop last year, and will likely have pecans from Bill's pecan breeding program for sale until late Aug. or early Sept.  We also still have some bags of 'Kanza' pecans for sale now, and may sell out of those by April or May.  All these pecans have large nuts, thin shells and great taste, and I give taste samples.

   Pecans store well for 3-4 months in a fridge, and for over 6 years in a freezer.  We sell cracked pecans in 4-pound bags, which are over 75% pecan kernels and under 25% shell fragments.  Each bag has the equivalent of 6 pounds of in-shell pecans, and when you pick out the kernels, you get 3 pounds or more of nutmeats.  Each bag costs $19.70 + sales tax.

We still have a good supply of selections from Bill's pecan breeding program for sale, shown here, and some 'Kanza'. The plastic box shows what the cracked pecans look like inside the paper bags.

   We have many harvested #2 'Gold Rush' apples, packed and ready for sale in our cooler, and a few #1 apples.  People keep buying more of the #1 apples, so please call a day or two ahead if you want these.

    #1 'Gold Rush' apples keep in top condition for fresh eating for 10 to 11 months in a fridge when stored in the plastic bags I packed them in.  This apple variety gets sweeter after a month or two in cold storage, as starches convert into sugars.  #2 'Gold Rush' apples keep for 3 to 4 months in a fridge, and are great for cutting into slices for fresh eating, baking and making apple butter.

Gold Rush' apples turn bright yellow when ready to eat. We have some harvested #1 'Gold Rush' apples, shown here, and many #2 apples with small cracks or other surface damage.

   Harvested apples sell for $1.48 per pound + sales tax for #1 fruit with no damage.  A 20-pound box of #1 fruit costs $28.57 + sales tax, and you save $1.00.  We have some very nice #2 fruit that sell for $1.18 per pound + sales tax.  A 20-pound box of #2 fruit costs $23.65 + sales tax, and you save $5.00 including tax over a 20-pound box of #1 fruit.

Sunsets in February were also gorgeous.

  We'll have 'Gold Rush' apples for sale until about mid-May 2025.  Projected sales dates for all our crops are shown in the sidebar at left under Crop Sales Seasons.  That also tells which crops we sell harvested, and which crops we sell pick-your-own.

  As always, we take cash or checks for payment, but NO credit cards or debit cards, and no "apps".  We don't use a smart phone, and have no phone line to the sales building.  So please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover the amount of fruit you want to buy.  Thanks.