I don't know any magic shelling tricks, but I do wish I knew good source for pecans. For years I got them from a friend with a tree, but she moved, and other trees in my area have gone under in the name of "development." The ones I see in the stores are expensive and last year's crop. Any suggestions?

Mudpuppy
I'd look in the classifieds under 'produce'. Farmer's market is the only other one I can think of.
How about Freecycle? Maybe there is someone in your area that would like to give you some.

Evelyn

I have 2 trees that used to produce very good but with
the heavy load in the last few years, limbs have broken
so I have only picked up 7 5 gal buckets. form the 2 trees. with CTS in my right hand shelling them was hard
so I bought an electric cracker it works great. I shell
them and put them in the freezer. there won't be any
next year.these trees are 40 years old.I planted them
in 1964.
Yardnut

it should have read 7,,,,5 gal buckets
Yardnut

yardbird -
i'm just curious -how many pounds of shelled pecans result from seven 5 gallon buckets? are you cutting your trees
down, or is the limb-loss so extensive that you
won't have pecans next year?

every time i buy pecans i wish i had the space for a few trees. i use a lot for baking, and salads.

marsha

I have one tree that we trimmed a couple years ago cause it was getting way too out of hand. It's beautiful now..nice & full. I find that every other year I get a good crop. Finally found an easier method of shelling. Boil them or nuke them in the microwave in water and they crack a whole lot easier without breaking into tiny pieces. Did a bowl full and the majority came out in either wholes or halves. Still rough on the fingers...oh well it's worth it.

How is the correct way to shell a pecan? I don't have much problem with them. I crack it all the way round the middle with a nut cracker and then slide the halves off each end. mostly the nut comes out whole or in half. Maybe this is because they are freshly picked.
I found a great area to collect them. So lucky, 6 tree's on public property, all within walking distance!!

I get a little more than 2----gals from 1---5 gal bucket.
I was thinking of having them trimed, the limes are so long
they droop. I have 19 that should start producing in a few
years.
Yardnut

I know this is a little off tropic, but do anyone know where I can buy a reasonalbe priced pecan sheller for light commerical use. Plans to build a pecan sheller would be even better.

mudpuppie...Don't know how far you live from me...but I have a neighbor that has at least a 10lbs on the ground now and a bushel on the trees..(maybe more) she can't give them away..email me.. if you want some for free...

My favorite sheller for home use is called the "Texas Native Inertia" cracker. I bought it at a local hardware store years ago. You put the pecan between two sockets and pull a "knocker stick" on a rubber band back then let it go to whack the pecan. Nothing fancy about it, but they come out whole nearly every time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nutcracker

Roberta - We have that exact nut cracker! It belonged to my Father who passed away in 1995. He used the cracker to shell bushels of pecans!

Malon

Malon, it reminds me of my daddy who passed away a year after yours. He was always trying to invent things and this nut cracker looks like something he would have rigged together. His best "invention", I guess, was a pea sheller. Had two rubber rollers that squeezed the peas out of the shell. This cracker really works well...I used it just this afternoon!

Roberta_NC, can you tell me how your father built the pea sheller and where I could buy the supplies to build it at. I been looking for a pea sheller plans for a good while.

I'm sorry citrus master, I really have no idea. I only remember a motor and some rubber rollers.

http://www.redhillgeneralstore.com/nutcracker.htm

Dave,
That's the best gadget I've ever used to shell pecans! A co-worker let me borrow his after a friend gave me a five-gallon bucket of pecans. Sure made the work easier! Thanks for the link.

The gadget I use my dad gave me one Christmas. It is GREAT. It's called "The Rocket," and it adjusts to the size of your pecan and takes very little push-power to crack a nut. Very fast. Gets them all cracked, then you can sit down with the little picks and a good movie and end up with lovely pecan halves. Or you can shell on trips while someone else drives. Or while waiting to pick up the kids. The possibilities are endless: constant living with a sack of cracked pecans, a pick and a container. Live is good. Congratulations on having pecans. Paint me envious.

efine50 - No one seems to be listening to your suggestion. My father used your method for years and must have shelled tons of pecans over the years with the hot water method. As we shelled pecans, he would add more to the hot water. Let them sit a few minutes and the majic happened. It doesn't cook the nut but makes it release from the shell. The full meat of the pecan slides right out of the shell. Boy did you bring back some good memories for me. Cheap way and really works.

I still think the boiling method is the easiest way for me. I've tried the other gadgets but can't seem to get the nice pieces that I get by boiling.
Funny that this thread was from '05. Was nice to see it again. Unfortunately I haven't had a good crop of pecans since. Seems it's every other year and this year was wayyyyy too dry! Good thing I froze extras and hope that next year will produce another good crop.

I tried boiling some of my pecans (10-15 minutes),then shelled them while they were still warm---DEFINITELY is easier to get unbroken pecan halves,but it seems as the nuts cool,they return to difficult again.But while still warm,the whole nut is easily removed.

Hi,
does anybody have plans for a semi-commercial ( we have 120 trees) to crack pecan nuts?

Anybody has any experience with the KINETIC KRACKER?

Please contact me

many thanks

Max

I manufacture a line of pecan shellers as well as pea shellers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thomson Ind. Inc.

Ah it is about that time again how is everyones crop this year?

ML

can anyone tell me when to pick my pecans? I live in north carolina and I do not know if I should pick them when they are still green on the tree or when they turn brown and fall on the ground. when is the best time to pick pecans? thank you tander

there was another post with that question just a few threads down posted a few weeks ago, i'm sure if you look you can find it. Basically you wait til they fall.

First glance I thought it said Pelican Shelters...

You pick the pecans when the outer layer is brown and has cracks in the seams. If you pick them green...the nut inside the pecan shell will be immature. I pick the pecans off the ground but sometimes there will be brown ones hanging in the tree. Trick is to beat the squirrels....lol
Evelyn

Seems to be a good year here for them so will try the water method.

ML

go to ushellit.com and look at there pecan shellers there the best and most reliable.
you can call them.
More Information (972) 293-5595 GO TO USHELLIT.COM

Here is a link that might be useful: pea shellers and pecan nut crackers

If you are close to Raleigh, NC Check out these folks they have lots of shellers in their store. http://www.redhillgeneralstore.com/housewares/kitchen/kitapp/Texan-York-Pecan-Nut-Sheller.htm
You my also check your local produce people, they usually have them too, but only during the fall when pecan are coming in. Btw I can shell a 50 pound bag in about 1/2 day, then its pie time for everyone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pecan sheller and crackers

I have a Reed's Rocket Nut Cracker. Cracking the nuts is the easiest part. Getting the nut out of the shells takes longer. Even when the nut falls out of the shell.

Most of the pecans come out hole. They clame 80 percent.

Check out my nut cracker. Click the link below.

Karyl

Here is a link that might be useful: Reed's Rocket Nut Cracker Photo

Any good manual sheller for the very small native nuts (4-6 grams in weight) that will yield halves a high percentage of the time. A hammer and pruning shears is a little too time consuming

I work for a company that sells a large variety of nut crackers. For large volumes of pecans, the Kinetic Kracker is amazing. Yes, it is only 1 pecan at a time, but it can crack 26 a minute. My favorite though is the Inertia cracker which is the rubber band powered nutcracker. It is simple, yet effective. I have never smashed or crushed any of the pecans when use it and my son loves cracking and shelling with ours at home. Click here to look it up -->Pecan Sheller