Kevin Keeling, Loving Garland Green Member at the LGG Pecan Cleaning work event December 7, 2015 which followed our regular meeting
Loving Garland Green is a member-directed 501 C 3 nonprofit organization with the mission to encourage residents of Garland Texas to grow some of the food they eat. From November through the first of February we have our annual Pecan Mania fundraiser. Proceeds from the sales of our pecans help fund our various community programs--including our stewardship of the Garland Community Garden.
December 7, 2015 - Burgi Bartlett is thus far the leader for pecan sales for an individual member. To date I believe Burgi has sold 20 bags.
We obtain our pecans by harvesting them from public property and also by harvesting them on the half (sharing 50/50 with people who have pecan trees on their property). Harvesting the pecans from the trees is just part of the process--which probably explains why pecans are so expensive in the stores--it is a very labor-intensive process. After they are harvested, they must then be blown to remove dust and then cracked. Instead of cracking them by hand, we have this part done by a vendor. Then we pick them out of the shells, and put them in one-pound bags and weigh them for sale.
ABOUT OUR PRICING
Members of Loving Garland Green all have their individual and sometimes strong opinions about things and that includes pecan prices. This year we have encountered some challenges in setting a firm per pound price. Thus, how much you donate for a pound of pecans will depend in part upon the particular member who is selling them to you. The only thing I can guarantee is that no one-pound bag of Loving Garland Green pecans will sell for less than $8 this year. The current market value in the stores seems to be between $8 and $10 per one-pound bag. However just before Thanksgiving I did see some pecans for sale at $6.88 for a one-pound bag. However, if you looked at these pecans, you would see they are dark--one of the signs of age in pecans. Other pecans in the same store in a different location were priced at $7.88 a pound and these pecans were lighter. What I suspect is that a lot of vendors were left holding their bags of pecans last year because the price skyrocketed to $13.99 a pound. Thus many folks decided they could live without pecans for the holiday season of 2014. Now these pecans have likely been repackaged for resale in 2015. All the pecans being sold by Loving Garland Green were picked in November and December of 2015.
Some of our members are selling one-pound bags of pecans for $8. Other members are selling one-pound bags for $10. Still other members are making deals such as if you buy two bags of pecans, you can have them for $8 a bag. If you only purchase one bag, then it's $10.
I apologize if this causes confusion, but perhaps it's best to remember that your purchase is a donation to a charitable organization that supports the local community of Garland, Texas. Over the past two years as President of Loving Garland Green I've learned to not attempt to herd cats because if you do, you'll be sure to get scratched. I love cats and I also have learned to respect them.
WE ALSO TAKE ORDERS AND DELIVER LOCALLY HERE IN GARLAND TEXAS
December 8, 2015 - Charlie Bevilacqua, board member of Loving Garland Green delivers two one-pound bags to Johnnie Pierce. Johnnie requested pieces because she will be using the pecans to make holiday candy.
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The Garland Holiday Monarch Caterpillar Now Has a Chauffeur to South Texas
THE HOLDAY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
December 8, 2015 - Getting fatter by the day. On December 5 this caterpillar was rescued from the Garland Community Garden where he was found desperately trying to extract nourishment from a withered dry leaf. Last night at our meeting, Anita Opel, Treasurer for LGG, volunteered to take it with her to South Texas where she is going for Christmas. We are hoping it will be a pupa--at least until Anita arrives in South Texas.