rachels.haven's Journal

Baymule said:

I’m considering planting it in pecan trees. Far off plans……. Son wants to buy a PTO driven well drilling rig and put a couple of ag wells on my place and on his land. I could run irrigation to each tree for these bodacious droughts we have. It wouldn’t make money in my lifetime but it would in his and my daughter’s.

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Maybe not, but I'd imagine it would be really pretty and so, so satisfying to see each morning. (And you could have sheep graze around those trees when old enough, right? Infact, it might be critical, plus it would be even more satisfying )

Not to burst any bubbles... and I have never raised any.... but it is my understanding that pecan trees require alot of water compared to some.... @SageHill have any insight on them????

farmerjan said:

Not to burst any bubbles... and I have never raised any.... but it is my understanding that pecan trees require alot of water compared to some.... @SageHill have any insight on them????

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That’s why the Ag well and irrigation pipe run to each tree.

rachels.haven said:

Maybe not, but I'd imagine it would be really pretty and so, so satisfying to see each morning. (And you could have sheep graze around those trees when old enough, right? Infact, it might be critical, plus it would be even more satisfying )

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That’s what I’m thinking!

My great aunt in Tallulah Louisiana had an 80 acre pecan grove. I was always so impressed with it. I was 30 when she died and it all was sold. Her and her husband farmed, had over 1,000 acres leased for crops and cattle. Plus they owned other parcels of land. But I always loved the pecan grove the most, especially with Hereford cattle grazing in it. Beautiful. And profitable.

For groves around here each tree has either a drip irrigation or an in ground pipe riser irrigation "sprinkler". Drips are prone to coyotes chewing on them, but cheaper to put in. That's the only way we can do it. When NAFTA allowed Mexico to ship avocados in we took a HUGE hit. A lot of groves were let go as water prices increased. The big push to "Save Water" actually forced water prices higher and higher because less water was used yet the infrastructure of the water systems and companies lost money because of people cutting back. They absolutely had to raise the water rates because they couldn't make ends meet. It's a vicious circle - cut back, pay more, cut back because the bills get sooo high (talking $1k or more / cycle, obviously dependent on usage), rates go up again, repeat, repeat repeat. And Ag - CA doesn't care.

rachels.haven said:

Regardless, I know livestock is often a money pit...but they make me happy.

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That's what is most important.