“Giant oaks from little acorns grow.” This old maxim holds true to a small homegrown New Iberia business which skyrocketed from a shoestring operation into a worldwide industry. I’m referring to the Cane River Pecan Co. which was initiated by the Regard brothers, Dan and Joe. In 1969, the two brothers acquired pecan orchards along the historic Cane River, Natchitoches Parish, and, from that time on, family members have participated in nearly every aspect of the pecan industry.

Around the mid-1980s, when pecan prices plummeted, Dan’s wife, Margie, thought it’d be a good idea to shell the best pecans and sell them as corporate gifts to local companies across Acadiana. During the first year, she sold 200 gift tins of Cane River’s beautiful mammoth papershell pecans. Jady Regard, Dan and Margie’s son, who took over the business in 2002, calls himself a “CNC” (chief nut cracker). He reports that in 2010, 25,000 packages of various pecans and pecan gifts were mailed out to customers.

These products also included pralines, pecan oil, pecan straws, and a cookbook. And, that ain’t all. Jady says due to its success, Cane River Pecan Company has launched a new company called “Louisiana Living.” It ships products like boudin, gumbo, turduckens, stuffed chickens, live crawfish, king cakes, and more, throughout the USA.

Wow! What a successful operation! What a wonderful asset to our community! Hats off to CNO Jady, members of the Regard family, and to the staffs of these two amazing enterprises.

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Joyce Buller of New Iberia loves family, loves children, loves friends, and loves to write. Much of this is reflected in a small paperback book she published titled “Home Groan.” The book includes interesting stories about her “down home” living with eight children on the top of a hill in Missouri – and also anecdotes of relatives and friends. There are photos and poems in the book as well.

Joyce and her husband Ken are retired school teachers. She says she enjoys writing and uses this talent specifically for her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, in order for them to learn about the special people in her stories – how they lived in yesteryear “before television and work took up so much of their time” and gave people a chance to enjoy the gifts of Mother Nature.

Joyce’s writings must’ve been influential to members of the family because her daughter, Barbara Gautreaux, whom I know well, has blossomed into an excellent feature story writer. It’s said that “Love makes the world go ‘round.” It appears that Joyce Buller has made a valid contribution in that regard.

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News of Bob Feller’s passing brought back memories of a cold day in the spring of 1936 when my buddies and I pooled our money to travel to Vicksburg, Mississippi to see an exhibition game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Indians. At the time, I was a “baseball nut,” who was feeling his oats as an American Legion baseball pitcher at my hometown, Natchez, Mississippi.

Since we arrived early, we thought we’d play it smart and go by the hotel where the players were to stay. We huddled up near the counter and waited until suddenly a big man with a large back pack came waddling in. He was chewing on a cigar as he went through the process of registering. We asked the clerk who the distinguished looking man was, and he said it was Bill Terry, manager of the Giants. We felt like kicking ourselves for not recognizing this great man of baseball. Others slipped by without being recognized.

We then bee-lined to the ballpark and came near freezing in the stands. But all our efforts paid off because we witnessed a wonderful game put on by some of the best players in the nation. Young Bob Feller, who had been signed by the Cleveland Club, was a sensation. He was a speedball artist who thrilled the spectators with his performance, striking out and baffling players as they stepped to the plate. We were excited, we loved it, we ate it up. Feller, who was later known as “Bullet Bob”, and also “Rapid Robert”, would get set on the mound for the pitch, his arm would move, and the ball zipped through the air so fast, hardly any one could see it.

We managed to work ourselves down into the dugouts where we shook hands with Feller, Frank Pytlak, Bill Terry, Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott, and other greats. We were so excited we were mesmerized – it was one event I shall never forget. Bob Feller became one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

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During the holidays, we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at Linda Freyou’s Antique Rose Ville. Did we dine in high fashion? You better believe. Linda is a great cook, she operates with that rare finesse of making her guests comfortable, serves well, and even entertains at times. There were five in our party – our dear friends Diane Moore and Victoria Sullivan, our daughter Rose Anne who came in from Berkeley to be with us for the holidays, and my wife Helen.

At the opposite end of the unique dining room, we were delighted to see our good friend Clarkson Brown of Franklin who had five young ladies from his office, his daughter Suzanne Eversberg and her son Shep of Baton Rouge. Pictures were taken and hands were shaken. After Brown and his entourage left, and when we finished our delicious dinner, Linda entertained us with her fascinating tales of yesteryear, and, with a little urging, she sang for us. Boy! What a wonderful operatic voice. That lady is really talented. Rose Anne, who also has a trained voice, gave forth with a delightful song. This was a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit — we had a ball.

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A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. May your troubles in this New Year be as short-lived as your resolutions. Happy New Year.

Bye, bye.

MORRIS RAPHAEL is a local author and retired engineer.