10/30/2026
Thomas Meeks of Meeks Nursery, which has specialized in Longleaf regeneration and restoration since 1996, and his hard working 8-man crew spent two full days harvesting Longleaf pinecones in Hitchcock Woods.
The process of collecting the cones and ultimately, the seeds, is fascinating. A tree shaker, just like is used for pecan trees, is used to drop the cones to the ground. Thomas emphasizes that they adjust the hydraulics and use padding on the shaker arm to ensure there is no damage to the trees. Next, a crew gathers the cones by hand, selecting only the ones that have not yet opened. Each bucket they collect, which is half a bushel, is then dumped into mesh bags. The bags are then loaded into crates on a flatbed trailer.
Collecting the cones is just the first step. Next, the cones will be shipped to Alabama where they go through numerous steps in a drying process, which ultimately produces the seeds. The seeds are boxed up, sealed and can then be frozen, for five years or more if needed.
We are thankful for the opportunity to be part of this effort for Longleaf reforestation across the southeast.
