SCOTT — With only about 7,000 acres of pecans grown across Arkansas, it may not be the state’s most abundant crop — but for those in the know, it’s certainly one of the most beloved.
The Cooperative Extension Service, along with the Arkansas Pecan Growers Association, will co-host the Arkansas Pecan Growers Summer Farm Tour on May 18. The tour will meet at Bruhl Farm, located at 374 Stewart Rd. in Scott, Arkansas. The tour will feature four pecan orchards.
The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach and education arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Jackie Lee, resident director of the Division of Agriculture’s Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, said the tour will offer growers an avenue for informal education and activity.
“This field tour will give pecan growers the opportunity to network and learn from other growers’ experiences,” Lee said. “We will talk about problems and successes at each orchard. We also have some great prizes to give away!”
The tour will begin at 8:30 a.m., concluding at 1:15 p.m. The day’s schedule includes:
8:30-9:00 a.m. - Registration
9:00-9:15 a.m. - Welcome, Jackie Lee, Arkansas Pegan Growers Association president
9:15-9:45 a.m. - Farm Introduction/Tour, John Bruhl and Billy Jeter
9:45-10:15 a.m. - Grafting Demo, Sherri Sanders, Division of Agriculture
10:15-10:30 a.m. - Travel to Sissy Roy’s farm, 9605 Hwy 161 South, Scott
10:30-10:45 a.m. - Farm Introduction/Tour, Sissy Roy
10:45-11:00 a.m. - Pecan Leaf Tissue Sampling, Dr. Amanda McWhirt, Division of Agriculture