SAN ANGELO — A Cheyenne pecan entry submitted by Ron Hardy of San Angelo nabbed Champion honors in the Commercial Division of the West Texas Regional Pecan Show here this month. The Classic Division Champion was a Barton pecan entry submitted by Pecos County’s Sun Valley Farm. The Champion Native pecan was entered by Robert Mayfield of Taylor County.
Hardy’s Cheyenne pecans needed 40.68 nuts to make a pound, and yielded 56.86 percent kernel. Sun Valley Farm’s Barton entry needed 42.47 nuts to equal a pound and yielded 58.71 percent kernel while the native winner needed 72.46 nuts to the pound and yielded 50.32 percent kernel.
The show’s Reserve Champion honors in the Commercial and Classic divisions went to Boyd Reece of Midland. Reserve Champion pecans in the Native Division were exhibited by the Crane County Orchard of Crane County. Reece’s winning Commercial Division entry were Sioux pecans needed 56.63 nuts to equal a pound that yielded 61.80 percent kernel. His Classic winner was entered as an “other” variety pecan. It needed 36.32 nuts to make a pound and yielded 56.29 percent. The Native Division entry had 79.72 nuts to the pound and yielded 47.63 percent kernel.
More than 200 entries from 15 regional counties sent entries to the show. Each entry had to be outstanding on the county level before being eligible for San Angelo’s competition. Dr. Larry Stein, Texas Agricultural Extension Service horticulturist at Uvalde, judged the show. Organizers were John Begnaud, Tom Green County Extension horticulturist; Lynn Rawe, Extension horticulturist; and Pecos County Extension Agent Zan Matthies.
Matthies said this year’s entries were superior to last year’s thanks to timely rains in many leading pecan growing areas.
Matthies said the show is educational for both the consumer and grower. “We grade the pecans for the show as they’d be graded commercially,” said Matthies. “We want to show how much meat or kernel various varieties yield, because there is a wide variation between varieties. Different varieties yield different amounts. Some yield as high as 60 percent kernel and others, like some of the natives, only yield in the mid to even low 30 percent range.
“The show also allows growers to exhibit their product in its best light. It’s good advertisement for the producer and the West Texas pecan industry.”
The West Texas Regional Pecan Show was started more than 30 years ago by Robert Kensing, retired Extension economist and pecan enthusiast who was based in San Angelo for many years. Kensing now ranches in Menard County.
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