NATCHEZ — You might think people who scour the grass for fallen pecans are just plain nuts.

It is hard not to notice Miss-Lou residents of all ages and walks of life combing the grass in yards, on the shoulders of roadways and in parks. Some carry buckets and big cups, others tote mesh bags or grocery sacks, filling them with as many pecans as possible to fetch that pretty penny.

And at 95 cents per pound — the going rate in the local “pecanomy” — pickers can easily make a small fortune.

Natchez resident Tony Minor, decked out in athletic kneepads, was sweating as he dragged 27 pounds of pecans in a large bag into Wells Produce on Homochitto Street Wednesday afternoon.

“This is my first batch this year,” Minor said, who rested while Wells Produce employees weighed the bag.

Minor, who is retired, said he gathered the pecans on his property.

Minor’s reasons for gathering pecans is as much spiritual as is it as an economic opportunity for him.

“If the good Lord gives you something, like fruit on the trees, we have to take advantage and share it,” Minor said as he pocketed $25.65 in cash. “I take the money, put it in a jar, and let it sit there.”

Minor said at the end of pecan season, he will use his pecan money to pay the taxes on his property.

“There is probably $100 worth of pecans in that tree,” Minor said. “And I know property tax time is coming up — so this way, I’m not digging in my pocket at tax time.”

Wells Produce, like many pecan businesses in the Miss-Lou, buys, sells and cracks pecans.

Kitty Wells Allen, who is employed at Wells Produce, said the price has fluctuated throughout the season.

Allen said like the price, the amounts of pecans sold to the stores vary too.

“People bring in anything from two pounds to 200 pounds,” Allen said. “Sometimes we even have kids come in who are just tickled to death to get a dollar’s worth. It’s all walks of life — you have the well-to-do, as well as people who just need beer or cigarette money.”

Allen said during pecan season, between 75 and 100 customers drop in daily to do business.

“And some people come two or three times a day,” Allen said.

Allen said pecan season has been busy for the 15 years Wells has been dealing, but because of a pecan shortage in Texas, the demand is higher in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Allen said folks use pecans for baking treats like pies, brittle and pralines.

“And they are good just to eat like they are,” Allen said.

Store owner Dan Wells said pecan business is big business.

“It puts a lot of money into Adams County,” Wells said.

In a nutshell, businesses buy pecans from individuals, and then turn around and sell those to pecan accumulators like Jason Yelverton.

On Wednesday, workers loaded big, sealed sacks full of pecans onto Yelverton’s flatbed truck at King’s Pecans in Ferriday. Yelverton will sell the pecans to a wholesaler, who then sells to companies like Little Debbie and Sysco.

Yelverton said pecan gathering comes at the right time — for holiday cooking of course — and when folks need extra cash for Christmas.

The pecan accumulator said the price per pound is usually higher at the start of season. He said the price, which does not exceed $2 a pound, is inflated because of competition from local pecan buyers.

“It’s a price war at the beginning of the season,” Yelverton said. “(Buyers) get caught up in the war and follow the lead. But it doesn’t take long for the price to come down when people see they are losing money.”

Yelverton said even at a price below $1 a pound, gathering pecans is still lucrative.

“A lot of people have pecan trees in their yards,” Yelverton said. “It doesn’t take long to make a good bit of money, because a tree could produce 300 to 400 pounds of pecans, and that’s $300 to $400 a tree.”

While many people who gather pecans are unemployed or retired, others do it to supplement their income.

Vidalia area employee and resident Jeremy Wyles toted approximately 25 pounds of pecans from his truck to King’s Wednesday. Wyles, who collected the pecans at his aunt’s property in Deer Park, said he will probably use the money to keep gas in his truck.

Casey Gilbert, who manages Gilbert’s Pecans on Gregory Street in Vidalia, said people are coming from miles around to sell pecans.

“They come from Lake St. John, the Alcorn area, Brookhaven and Monterey,” Gilbert said. “People will drive for 20 miles to find a better price. And some will drive farther.”

Gilbert’s father, Elmer Gilbert, started buying, selling and cracking pecans more than 25 years ago when he owned C&G Grocery in Vidalia.

Elmer said he is glad to see his son take over the pecan business, which shows no signs of slowing down.

“We’ll be here again next year,” Elmer said.