Whippoorwill Ranch - Pesticides

	Pesticides Occasionally someone will inquire as to whether our pecans are produced "organically". The answer is no. While that might be a worthy goal, we believe it is not feasible on our farm. There are a host of insects, diseases, and other hindrances to the production of pecans. We find it necessary to spray our orchard numerous times each season. If we failed to do this we would not produce enough pecans to stay in business. We are plagued with insects that are capable of destroying the entire crop. We also use significant quantities of commercial fertilizers and fungicides. We recognize the health and environmental implications of using these chemicals. And we take our responsibility seriously. There are two important reasons why we are judicious with the application of these valuable tools: 1) we live in the orchard; 2) they are extremely expensive. Crop protectants and fertilizer represent our single greatest input expense. It is very much in our personal interest to "do it right". We practice "Integrated Pest Management" on our farm. This means we spray only for a specific, identified problem with a selective product, at exactly the right time. We integrate the use of insecticides with the use of natural insect control, such as beneficial insects and good orchard "hygiene". We apply at rates recommended by the manufacturer, and approved by the EPA. We observe all safety and environmental safeguards at all times. We do not use products known to be highly toxic to humans. We are careful not to harm creatures such as birds, bees and fish; we do not use broad-spectrum insecticides. We also observe good farming practices relating to soil erosion and water runoff. We strive to be good Stewards of the land. Since pecans are protected by a shell there is little chance of any harmful man-made substance entering the meat. Additionally, our pecans are washed and sanitized as part of our process in preparing them for sale. This further decreases the possibility of contamination as well as reduction of any harmful bacteria.
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