The Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Pecans

In honor of National Pecan Day, we present to you the top 5 things you probably didn't know about one of our state's most beloved crops.

1. Georgia leads the nation in pecan production and has been the top pecan producing state since the late 1800s. 

[caption id="attachment_27780" align="alignnone" width="446"] photo courtesy of futurestreet via flickr[/caption]

2. Every pecan pie uses 1/2 lb to 3/4 lb of pecans, so there are about 78 pecans used in every pecan pie!

[caption id="attachment_27784" align="alignnone" width="443"] photo courtesy Stevesworldofphotos via flickr[/caption]

3. Albany, Georgia boasts more than 600,000 pecan trees and is the pecan capital of the U.S. Albany hosts the annual National Pecan Festival, which includes a race, parade, pecan-cooking contest, the crowning of the National Pecan Queen and many other activities.

[caption id="attachment_27785" align="alignnone" width="464"] photo courtesy of University of Georgia[/caption]

4. Some of the larger pecan shellers process 150,000 pounds of pecans each day. That's enough to make 300,000 pecan pies!

[caption id="attachment_27786" align="alignnone" width="477"] photo courtesy of Rosana Prada via flickr[/caption]

5. China loves our pecans! Georgia annually exports over 75% of its total pecan production to China, with a gross value over $150 million.

[caption id="attachment_27787" align="alignnone" width="275"] photo courtesy of University of Georgia[/caption]