Pecan Harvest Time! Get 'em before they're gone!

It's pecan time in Louisiana. From what I've been reading it is going to be a short season. According to reports, pecan crops are down from the record number in 2007.

I'm not sure if that is true or not but with the holidays coming up, who wants to take that chance. Why buy pecans from other countries when you can have homegrown pecans from right here in Louisiana.

Pecans make a great gift for any occasion: for friends and family, bridal shower gift along with recipes using pecans, corporate gifts, gifts to friends who enjoy cooking, and as Christmas gifts.

Many of these Louisiana pecan growers also have gift items, cookbooks and more. Give them a call, visit their websites, travel to their orchards and buy their products. Support our locally grown crops. Support Louisiana agriculture. Buy local, shop local.

There are several Louisiana pecan growers. The following is a listing of businesses that sell pecans:

Natchitoches Pecans, Inc., 439 Little Eva Rd., Cloutierville, LA 71416 . Natchitoches Pecans is a family run business that has been operating since 1986. When owners Julie and Mark Swanson began tending to the pecan orchard they initially knew nothing about pecans. But according to Julie since that time they have "learned a lot". Natchitoches Pecans is a 365 acre portion of Little Eva Plantation. This area is great for history lovers as the famous Clementine Hunter was born at Little Eva Plantation. It is the area that Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote about in Uncle Tom's Cabin.

In addition to selling pecans, Natchitoches Pecans has a great store where all types of pecans and gift items can be purchased. Pecans can be purchased in-shell, cracked, shelled, chocolate covered, cinnamon, honey as well as in famous candies such as old fashioned creamy pralines, pecan brittles and pecan logs. Natchitoches Pecan also carries flavored coffees: Southern Pecan and Little Eva Blend.

Cookbooks: Pecan Favorites by Rita Nichols which features over 200 recipes with pecans, Serving Louisiana, Marshes to Mansions by the Junior League of Lake Charles, Mardi Gras to Mistletoe by the Junior League of Shreveport/Bossier. There are soy candles, gift items, Fleur de Lis flags and other gift items, Mardi Gras, LSU gift items and more.

Other items in the gift shop include Clementine Hunter Ornaments by Lurline Lemieux and paintings by James Hunter, grandson of Clementine Hunter.

From October 15th through December 23rd from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; Beginning in November also open on Sundays from 1-5 p.m. and January - October 22nd, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To order or for more information call 318-379-0272 or 800-572-5925
Pecans, gift boxes, gift tins, corporate gifts and flavored pecans. Recipes from Natchitoches Pecans. Visit on the web at http://www.natchitochespecans.com.


Rosalie Pecans is a family owned and operated company located on Roasalie Plantation, just south of Alexandria on the old Baton Rouge Highway. The retail pecan business began in 1999. Rosalie Pecans sells shelled pecan halves and pieces year-round; they also offer gift packs. In the fall in-shell pecans are available for purchase. Sampler boxes and tins contain halves that are prepared four ways: chocolate covered, sugared, toasted/seasoned and plain. Rosalie Pecans can take care of your entire Christmas gift list and ship gift boxes or tins for customers. Rosalie Pecans also carries several gift items including pecan-shaped massage soap, pecan crusher, and two books about pecans. A children's book, Christmas Turtles and a cookbook, In Praise of Pecans by June Jackson which contains recipes and recollections from the author.

Fall store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday. Other times of the year hours are by appointment.

Visit www.rosaliepecan.com or shop their online store www.shop.rosaliepecans.com for available products. Orders can be called, emailed, faxed, mailed or placed online.
Recipes from Rosalie Pecans.

Rosalie Pecans is located at 63 Rosalie Road in Alexandria for more information call 318-448-3139.

Baskin Louisiana located in Franklin Parish is home to Company Farm Pecans. Products available include cracked and in shell pecans, holiday gift tins, gourmet gift boxes, fancy shelled pecans and fresh pecans. Harvesting begins in October and runs through January. Company Farm Pecans, located at 563 Company Farm Road, is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information or to place an order call 318-248-3400 or 866-325-1891. Pecans can be shipped anytime of year. Visit http://www.companyfarmpecans.com/ for more information.

Louisiana Pecans, 208 Little Eva Plantation, Cloutierville, LA 71416, 800-737-3226
Louisiana Pecans offers gift tins, pecan halves and pieces, gourmet flavored pecans and whole and cracked pecans. Custom gift baskets can be made for Christmas, Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, and Easter. Also available is a cookbook written by June Jackson entitled "In Praise of Pecans" that would make an excellent Christmas gift for anyone who loves pecans.

Pecans are shipped year round. The Pecan Depot is open during October, November and December. Orders for new crop whole and cracked pecans can be placed beginning the third week in October through January 15th.
Hours: October - Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Last weekend in October through Christmas - Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. http://www.louisianapecans.com

Honey Bayou Farm is located in Coushatta, Louisiana. Contact 318-932-8912 for more infomation.

Littlepage Farms, 12219 Highway 8 South, Colfax, LA 71417, 318-627-3715 or 318-481-5449, sells in shell Pecans


Minsky Pecan Market, Inc., 1214 Sparrow St., Lake Providence, LA 71254, 318-559-1614 or 1-800-646-7597. Visit on the web at www.minskywearenuts.com. Pecans, other nuts, and Louisiana products.

Ybar Farms, 250 Yantis Lane, Bunkie, LA 71322, 318-346-6495
Pecans, praline pecans, sugar pecans, salted pecans, Creole seasoned pecans, white chocolate pecans, shelled pecan halves, shelled pieces, muscadines, muscadine jelly, and Angus cattle.

Pecan Oil
Kinloch Plantation Products, L.L.C., 1304 Cornell Street, P.O. Box 1346, Winnsboro, LA 71295, 318-435-1455, www.pecanoil.com. Pecan oil

More Pecan growers may be found at this link .

Recipes from the National Pecan Shellers Association

Source: Louisiana Departement of Agriculture and Forestry, websites of pecan growers, interviews and research.

Small photo courtesy of National Pecan Shellers Association.

Christmas Ideas from Louisiana

Christmas is right around the corner. I wanted to share this information with readers of Louisiana Trekker who are shopping for Christmas gifts.

These North Louisiana businesses offer everything for your holiday entertaining as well as possible gift ideas. And by supporting these companies you are helping the local economy. Keep your hard earned money close to home. Support local farmers and businesses.

The Louisiana Products Guide includes cajun seasonings, spices and rubs, honey, syrup, smoked sausage, fish fry mix, gourmet foods, cobbler mixes, pecans, wine, produce, fruit, candy, nuts of every kind, coffee, mayhaws, muscadines, hot pepper sauce, Natchitoches meat pies, jelly, jams and more. Click here for a list of North Louisiana businesses who have products that would make great Christmas gifts.

There are still some farmer's markets that are open. Click here for a listing of Farmer's Markets in North Louisiana.

This product guide includes the following Louisiana businesses: Allens Inc., Bayou Blends Seasoning, Inc., Bayou Queen Bee Farms, Bellevue Meat Processing, Breau Jo's, Cajun 2 Geaux,

Cajun Gold Catfish Processors, Calhoun Bend Mill, Inc., Cane River Island Foods, LLC, Catdaddy Sauce COmpany, Chauvin HOney Farm, Chef Hans' Gourmet Food, Chef Lorenzo, LLC, Cookie Cone Corporation, Casa de Sue Winery, Clear Lake Apiary, Company Farm Pecans, Crawfish City, Debbie Roy Brokerage Co., Dawson Farms, Shreveport Macaroni Mfg., Du Paul Enterprises,

Dumas Candy Company, Dove's Nest, Down Home Meats, E.B.’s Tamale Company, Earl Roy Produce, Eddies BBQ, LLC, Evan's Eden Fruit Farm,

Feliciana Delights, Inc.,Fertitta's Delicatessen, Farmer's Seafood Kitchens, Inc., Foremost Dairy, Food Way the Louisiana Way - Tasty, Haring's Pride Catfish, Harold Quebedeaux Produce, Honey Bayou Farm, Hummer and Son Honey Farm,

J. Bernard Crawfish Processing, Inc., Jelks Incorporated, Kinloch Plantation, King's Fish Market, Louisiana Cajun Classics, Louisiana Crawfish Company, Louisiana Pecans, Louisiana Sauce Factory,

McCain Farms, Ma's Cajun Meat Pies,Mitcham Farm, LLC, Minsky Pecan Market, Inc., Moe's Crawfish Kitchen, Natchitoches Meat Pie Company, Natchitoches Pecans, Inc., Music Mountain Water Company, Noah's Potato Chip Company, Norris Syrup Mill, LLC,

The Ole Homestead, On Mayhaw Hill, Panola Pepper Corporation, Peter's Crescent City Connection, LLC, Pleasant Acres Jams & Jellies, Plunkett Farms, Pomidoro House, Poole Produce, Poverty Point Produce, Rhymes Ohh La! La!, Ronnie's Bar B Que Sauce, Rosalie Sugarmill, Inc., Robertson Fruit & Produce, Roy's Best of the Bayou, Sonshine Orchards,

Sky Lin Farms, South Franklin Farmer's Market, LLC, Spring Branch Orchard, Sugarmakers, Sweet & Sons, Three Rivers Fish Company, The Nutcracker Company, LLC, Robert M. Tippett, Warren's Khoury Candy Company, The Yam Company, Ybar Farms.

The Louisiana Products Guide includes a host of businesses that manufacture or grow a variety of products right here in North Louisiana. Take a moment to view the list and shop at home. You won’t be disappointed. There are many talented, hard-working individuals who would love to visit with you and share their products with you.

Included in this product guide are nurseries, gourd crafts and purple martin houses made from gourds, high-end gas barbecue grills, hay, animal bedding, cotton items, whole cotton seeds, sterling silver wine glass charms, sterling silver wedding cake charms, gift baskets, pecan trees, handmade soaps, lotions, scrubs and other personal care products, clothing (jumpers, smocks, t-shirts), pillows, garden benches and fresh cut flowers and plants.

North Louisiana Businesses in this guide include:
Doug Young Nursery, Gourds - Gowards - Goards, G & C Nursery, Hickory Hill Nursery, Iron Works, Kingsland Ranch, Lady Lariat Animal Bedding, John Langston Nursery, Lagniappe Cotton Gin, LLC, Louisiana Creole Heritage Center at Northwestern State University, Marymade , Pelican State Baskets, Red Top Pecan Company, Robert Strange Nursery, Rocky Mount Gourds, Skin Soothers Handmade Toiletries, St. Augustine Historical Society, Sans Souci, Tensas Co-op Gin and Waters Edge Nursery. This list is by no means inclusive. There are many, many Louisiana businesses. If you know of one that isn't on this list, please let Louisiana Trekker know at louisianatrekker@gmail.com or write Publisher, Louisiana Trekker, PO Box 208, Elm Grove, LA 71051.

Source: Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry website

If you have a business or product that you would like added to the site, please email the Publisher at LouisianaTrekker@gmail.com or mail information to P.O. Box , Elm Grove, LA 71051.

Support Louisiana businesses, products and restaurants. When you get the chance, choose Louisiana products over others it benefits all of us.