Our Farmers

The native pecan that grows in Missouri is very unique in that it has adapted to a colder climate than other pecans; its nut is smaller in size, has a thicker shell and a much higher oil content than its cousins in the south. The oil gives the pecans the ‘sweet’ flavor that made them a delicacy of the Osage Indians centuries ago.

Pecan farmers here feel blessed to nurture and care for many of the same trees that were once harvested by Native Americans. These wild trees are a vital part of a special ecosystem in that they grow in the fragile floodplains of local rivers and streams. As the farmer cares for the trees and receives the annual harvest, he recognizes his life is merely a chapter in the lives of these majestic trees.