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N.M. pecan harvest in full swingLAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP)--New Mexico's pecan harvest is in full swing, after a delay caused by warm weather early in the winter. The prolonged warm weather kept farmers from starting the harvest, which typically gets under way by Thanksgiving. Growers had to wait for the cold, pecan-drying temperatures necessary for harvests. The cold snaps arrived over the past two weeks. Pecan farmer David Byrd, who does contracted harvests for other growers, estimated about one-third of his own 160 acres have been harvested, already. "If we don't get any weather, such as rain or snow, I should be done in about three weeks," he said. "For the other people around here we do work for, it may take until the end of January." The 2004-2005 winter harvest was delayed because of winter rainstorms, which kept farmers from moving heavy equipment through fields. However, Dona Ana County Extension agent John White says this year ranks among the top for delays. "I don't remember a year being so late," said White, who has worked with area pecan farmers for more than 25 years. "It is pretty late for us to get started; usually, we're going, somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas." White estimated 10 percent to 15 percent of the county's crop had been harvested, so far. Pecans cycle between a heavy production year--called an on-year--and a lighter one. This is an on-year and New Mexico is expected to produce about 71 million pounds of in-shell nuts, according to the Dec. 1 forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That would rank New Mexico No. 2 behind Georgia's expected 110 million pounds. New Mexico produced about 65 million pounds in the last on-year of 2005-2006. Officials say bouts of rainy weather in the coming weeks could mean further delays. Farmers don't like to move equipment through muddy orchards because it creates ruts in the soil, said Richard Heerema, pecan specialist for the Cooperative Extension Service. Ruts prevent machinery from being able to easily pick up fallen pecans. "Really, you'd like a nice flat, firm surface," Heerema said. "Generally, it stops harvest altogether, when the ground is very wet." 1/7/08 Date: 1/3/08
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