Dr. George Ray McEachern, horticulture professor at Texas A&M University, will be the guest speaker for Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens’ monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series, slated for 7 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
Dr. George Ray McEachern, part-time horticulture professor and former Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service pecan specialist from College Station, will present “Pecans: Past, Present and Future.”
McEachern earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in horticulture from Louisiana State University in 1967 and 1969, respectively. He then went on to receive a doctoral degree in horticulture from Texas A&M University in 1973 before serving as an extension pecan specialist at the university from 1969 to 2001.
As a young man, McEachern was mentored by some of the most renowned individuals in the pecan industry, including Fred Brison, O.S. Gray and L.D. Romberg. Additionally, he studied and worked with J. Benton Storey and Bluefford Hancock.
During his 31-year career with the extension service, McEachern worked directly with growers to learn how to grow pecans under a wide variety of conditions. Today, he manages the 54-acre Texas A&M University pecan orchard on the Brazos River Farm near campus. The orchard is used for production research, teaching and extension education.
Since 2001, McEachern has held a 50% appointment as a professor of horticulture retired-active. He also is a pecan production consultant in the U.S. and Mexico.
The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.
Parking is available at the PNPC and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St.
For more information, call (936) 468-4129, or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
