Pecan Farmer Transforms Orchard with Innovative Practices
Troy Swift, a first-generation farmer in Caldwell County, Texas, has turned the fortunes of his pecan orchard, Swift River Pecans, around through the adoption of regenerative farming practices. Faced with failing trees and dwindling yields, Swift sought scientific guidance and embraced a new agricultural approach that has since led to record harvests.
On a warm August morning, Swift walks through his thriving orchard, where clumps of green pecans weigh down the branches. As he picks the first pecan of the season, a Pawnee variety, he reflects on the transformation: “We are seeing record after record in this orchard,” he states, highlighting the success of his newfound methods.
From Challenges to Change
Initially, Swift struggled with his pecan trees, which began to decline despite following conventional farming techniques. After consulting with scientists, he learned that the issues could be linked to the health of the soil and the roots. Determined to restore his orchard, he shifted his focus to soil health, recognizing that it is a living entity home to essential microorganisms and fungi.
This realization led him to explore regenerative farming, which emphasizes practices such as no-till planting, limited pesticide use, and the integration of grazing animals to enhance soil vitality. “Soil is living,” Swift noted. “And we weren’t taught that.”
At Swift River Pecans, the orchard is now lush and overgrown, with grasses reaching the lower branches and animals roaming freely. Swift has drastically reduced the use of fungicides and eliminated herbicides. “We’re increasing the soil health in order to do this,” he explained.
Scientific Backing and Ongoing Research
The success of Swift’s methods is supported by research from the Noble Research Institute, the largest non-profit organization in the United States dedicated to farm and ranch management. The institute is conducting a six-year study on the impacts of regenerative farming on soil health, with Swift’s farm serving as a key test site.
Soil samples are collected biannually from his orchard and several other farms practicing both traditional and regenerative methods. The study aims to address critical questions, such as whether improved soil health leads to healthier trees and, consequently, healthier nuts. “Are you improving your soil health over time, and does that lead to healthier soil, healthier trees, to healthier nuts?” asked Lauren Jones, a Senior Research Associate with the Noble Research Institute.
A significant focus of the research is on nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant growth. Farmers often add nitrogen to the soil to boost yields. However, Swift’s data collection has revealed trends indicating that even with reduced nitrogen inputs, the available nitrogen in his soil has been increasing over the past three years.
“Some of the farmers have actually decreased or removed nitrogen inputs, and even with that, we’re seeing a trend of three years of increasing available nitrogen in the soil,” Jones noted, emphasizing the potential benefits of Swift’s approach.
The study will continue for three more years, but early results already affirm the positive impact of regenerative practices. Swift and other local farmers who have adopted similar methods are witnessing their properties thrive.
As he surveys his orchard, with the San Marcos River flowing alongside, Swift expresses his vision for the future: “If we can make a nice, biodiverse ecosystem here, where everything that’s supposed to be here wants to live here, then they’re just like me, because I want to live here too.”
