Think Pecans This Thanksgiving

On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael, now a Category 5 storm with winds gusting up to 165 M.P.H., slammed into the Florida Panhandle wreaking havoc and destruction on its way towards the Chesapeake Bay. Once the storm had weakened over Virginia and blew out to sea some 48 hours later, Americans from Alabama to Massachusetts came out to survey the cyclone’s damage. A week later the newspapers would headline some devastating news through the Atlantic: “Pecans, Poultry, and Cotton Hard Hit by Hurricane Michael”

It was especially hard for Georgia pecan farmers. With downed trees and dropped pecans, Pecan groves there suffered widespread damage including downed trees and prematurely dropped pecans. Many pecan groves were only a few days away from being harvested.

This was the third year their crops had been utterly devastated by hurricanes. With 100% crop loss in Seminole County, 85% in Decatur County, and 30% in Grady County, the pecan crop loss from Michael alone was estimated to be around $560 million. Because it takes about seven years for a tree to begin producing nuts, blown over or broken pecan trees are a brutal, generational loss for farmers.

Two years on and pecan farmers are still feeling the effects of Hurricane Michael, and if you’re a lover of pecans like us, you may be wondering what you can do to help.

According to the Valdosta Daily Times and the Super American Pecan-A-Thon, an event that was held shortly after Hurricane Michael to help raise awareness of the pecan farmers plight, the best thing you can do is support the pecan farmers is quite simple – buy pecans.

With the holidays fast approaching and November also being National Georgia Pecan Month, there’s no better time than now to pledge your support by including pecans in your holiday celebrations this year.

For example, did you know that Southern Living magazine (via Google Trends) says only three states – Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama – traditionally bake pecan pies for Thanksgiving? (Really, Georgia?) According to the same map, eight states prefer apple pie and the other 39 go with the widely traditional pumpkin pie.

This year, why not dare to do something a little different you people living outside of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and bake a pecan pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.

Or better yet, do something really different and serve up slices of Stuckey’s Pecan Log Rolls. With its creamy nougat center mixed with mouth-watering maraschino cherries, then hand-dipped in caramel and rolled in a plentiful amount of pecans, it’s the perfect Thanksgiving dessert!

While you’re at it, add Stuckey’s pecan halves for a nutty twist to your sweet potato casserole this year. (See Virginia Willis’ perfectly pecaned sweet potato casserole here.)

Pecans aren’t only for dinner and pies, either. While you and your family are gathered around the TV watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade or football games, make sure to have plenty of pecan snacks on hand like our Hunkey Dorey – a delicious blend of caramelized popcorn almonds and pecans – or our traditional holiday Peco Brittle.

Be sure to also keep your candy dishes full of our signature flavored pecans including Toasted ‘n Salted, Honey Roasted, Vanilla Bourbon, Honey Cinnamon and Honey Glazed flavors. And don’t forget those delicious new flavors from Front Porch Pecans, including Sea Salt, Maple and Unsalted flavors. For a real holiday favor, try a can of our Honey Cinnamon Nut Mix. With all of these flavors, our pecans are sure to please all of your holiday guests.

For the kids and kids at heart with a sweet tooth, keep platefuls of some of our sweet and delicious pecan candies on hand  like our famous  Pecan Divinity and other pecan favorites including Pecan Pralines,

Milk Chocolate Pecan Turtles or the pecan-filled Goo Goo Cluster Supreme.

The best thing about all of this is that almost all of the products mentioned on this page are made with Georgia pecans, so whether you stop for a pecan log in Stuckey’s of Bagdad, Florida, or Stuckey’s of Italy, Texas, you’ll be supporting Georgia pecan growers. Visit your local Stuckey’s location today.

No Stuckey’s near you? No problem. You can have all of this wholesome pecan goodness delivered right to your door in time for the holidays. But hurry! Thanksgiving is only a week away. Visit our website for more information. While you’re there, check out our other Stuckey’s merchandise like our t-shirts, caps and mugs for great holiday gift ideas.

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