Lenny Wells is a pecan grower, writer, and Professor of Horticulture and Extension Pecan Specialist at the University of Georgia. His work focuses on strategies to enhance the economic and environmental sustainability of pecan production around the world. In addition to publishing scientific papers, Lenny has written a book on the history of pecans, poetry on rural life, and essays on farming. He also grows pecans on his 100 acre family farm in south Georgia. In this episode, Geoff and Lenny discuss the pecan tree, pecan farming, consolidations in agriculture, tools for small farmers, and more.
You can find Yeoman on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, and elsewhere.
Links
Thoughts from the Orchard: Lenny’s website
Limestone Creek Pecans: Lenny’s orchard
The Full Life of Empty Rural Spain
Pecan: America’s Native Nut Tree by Lenny Wells
Earl Butz and “get big or get out”
Timestamps
0:00 – intro
1:49 – work in Spain
8:10 – pecans around the world
11:45 – contrasts in relationship with the land, village culture in Spain
19:24 – shifts towards corporate farming, consolidation
22:04 – small-scale pecan farmers, pecan tree spacing and planting
27:34 – forces driving consolidation, China’s pecan consumption and production
35:14 – succeeding as an independent grower, utilizing direct to consumer
41:51 – history and range of pecan growing
47:53 – get big or get out agriculture policy, agribusiness, Wendell berry, Earl Butz
57:58 – expanding available markets, internet and tech
1:01:14 – localism and sustainable growing
1:07:10 – Lenny’s own orchard
1:16:57 – direct to consumer operation, harvest, storage
1:31:04 – pecans as food
1:34:09 – where to find Lenny and his orchard
Yeoman 
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