The Horticulture Committee of Austin County is once again preparing for a local favorite โ the Annual Austin County Pecan Show and Educational Program, to be held Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, located at 800 E. Wendt Street, Bellville, Texas. The event celebrates the long-standing Texas tradition of pecan growing and welcomes everyone from backyard hobbyists to seasoned orchard owners. You donโt need to be a commercial grower to participate โ if you have a pecan tree in your yard and want to learn more about your crop, this is the perfect opportunity. Residents from Austin County and neighboring counties without their own pecan show are also encouraged to enter.
Educational Program and Awards Ceremony
The evening will begin with a short educational session at 6:00 p.m., featuring guest speaker Stephen Janak, AgriLife Extension Horticulture Program Specialist. Janakโs presentation, titled โWhat It Takes to Win the State Pecan Show,โ will offer valuable insights into improving pecan quality, understanding judging standards, and preparing entries for success at higher levels of competition. Following the presentation, the awards ceremony will recognize top entries from the 2025 Austin County Pecan Show. The entire event โ including both the educational segment and the awards program โ is free and open to the public, even for those who did not submit entries.
Entry Guidelines
Entries will be accepted at the AgriLife Extension Office from Monday, November 3, through Monday, December 1, during regular business hours (8:00 a.m.โ12:00 p.m. and 1:00โ5:00 p.m.). All entries must be received by 4:00 p.m. on December 1 to qualify for judging. Each entry must be submitted in a brown paper bag provided by the Extension Office and accompanied by a completed entry card. Participants may submit multiple entries, as long as each entry represents a different pecan variety. Each entry should contain 50 pecans of the same variety. There are no age restrictions or entry fees, and all entries will be accepted from Austin County residents and neighboring counties without local shows.
Judging and Advancement
Judging will be conducted by a committee, with ten pecans randomly selected from each entry for evaluation. Criteria include kernel weight percentage, color, fill, and blemishes. Top-ranking pecans from the county show will advance to the regional pecan show, and the best from there will move on to the state competition in July 2026. Participants whose entries are not forwarded to the regional contest may retrieve their pecans after the awards presentation on December 9.
Community Recognition and Dinner
The results from the 2025 Austin County Pecan Show will be posted at the AgriLife Extension Office, shared on the Austin County AgriLife Facebook page, and published on the AgriLife website. To help plan for dinner during the program, attendees are encouraged to RSVP by Friday, December 5. Dinner is complimentary, thanks to the generosity of the event organizers and sponsors.
For questions or additional details about entries, judging, or event participation, contact:
Stacie M. Villarreal, MS
County Extension Agent โ Agriculture & Natural Resources
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Austin County
Phone: 979-865-2072
