Update

1 - Planned D's trip to SE Texas to see orchards and nurseries - probably the end of this week
2 - Revised (again!) orchard layout - adjusted two more rows to be Pawnee after discussions about availability of productivity
3 - Dug 9 three-foot holes (7 on our land, 2 in Gran's pasture) to determine "perkability" - as of 24 hour mark, more than half have completely drained, remaining ones have from 2-6" left. Will recheck tomorrow morning (about 40 hour mark) and tomorrow afternoon at 48 hours. Recommended by Texas growers to determine whether soil composition is good and for which varieties on which part of the farm.
4 - Attended the last part of "Pecan Day" at Oak View in Raleigh. The good turn out at this event is a good confirmation that we are proceeding with the right idea. Mr. Bill Bunn and his wife were there and although we missed his presentation (busy fixing the tractor - which did not want to start on this cold morning - and attaching the auger to dig the holes) we were glad to get to see his slide show and see him for a few minutes. He had pecan halves, in-shell pecans, pecan pies all for sale; samples of cinnamon and sugar pecans as well as "roasted"/salted ones and taking orders. We bought enough halves for two or more pecan pies for the church supper next Sunday :) !
5 - Still unable to burn due to burn ban; still praying for rain!
6 - Still awaiting bulldozer for final grading (supposedly mid-week this week)
7 - to be done this week; finalize some cash flow projections including fencing, lime and ground cover costs; finalize D's trip (he will check Monday am about taking off work since they just had 20% of their workers laid off last week); discuss plantings on family land; continue research for crackers/shellers