Author Topic: Walnuts (Read 6848 times)

Frieslandfilly · « **on:** September 19, 2010, 06:20:41 pm »

Not quite sure where to put this question about Walnuts, I figured 'fruit' was a good a place as any:

I would like to know how others deal with thier walnuts, I have tried picking them and leaving them to shed the outer layer but found that is very messy! And I have tried cutting off the green outer skin before it starts to degrade, but that is quite time consuming and can be quite difficult, I know the obvious thing is to leave it to nature and wait for the nut to emerge BUT the squirrel gets there before me!! 'Why dont you shoot the squirrel' someone said, A) I only ever see him when he is making his way back down the drive & B) I dont mind him having a few, just not all of them!!
Would love to hear what you do with yours

Dawn

lazybee · « **Reply #1 on:** September 19, 2010, 06:52:09 pm »

I have a squirrel that always takes a few. I know when he's in the tree as my fox terrier tries to climb up to get at him. I still manage to get at least a large sack full for us. It seems strange your squirrel takes all yours? Ours just drop often leaving the green case behind. I think you need a fox terrier and an airgun. I bet you end up with yellow/brown hands for a few days when you take the skins off

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2010, 10:56:06 am »

will watch this space with interest - we have a huge walnut tree and have never had so much as one walnut ourselves.
when are they ready to eat? am assuming winter time? last year I left the casing on, they went black but so did the insides...

lazybee · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2010, 11:46:26 am »

I should say that I'm in France. I don't know if this makes any difference. But ours just fall from the tree like conkers, minus the outer casing. The first ones that fall are the rejects either empty shells or have a grub in them. Then comes the main fall, it's just a case of picking them up. I then (each time the bucket is full) spread them out, under an outside lean to for air circulation to dry out. Some will get nicked by the local wildlife but we still have loads. Maybe the tree you have is not a native variety and the nuts don't fully develop, or possibly the season is too short or too dry or wet.

Bright Raven · « **Reply #4 on:** November 04, 2010, 07:44:36 pm »

What I do.... happy to learn from someone with a better method.
I Wait until they have been on the ground and have gone brown in their shells. Look out for a dry windy day after a few wet ones and they are easy to deal with. I pop on the old rubber gloves and squeeze them out. Sometimes it can get a bit pulpy, if you have a tare or hole in the gloves they stain your hands and nails brown for weeks. For fast drying pop them on your wood burning stove or in front of your fire to toast a bit. Keep a box by the fire and rotate them if you have gathered a lot.
Crack, enjoy, then use the nut shells in your fire, they burn very hot and bright. They make good kindling. Shell and store to dry some of the nuts on grease proof paper in a large wooden draw but don't stack them up or they will go moldy. Keep an eye on them and give them a mix around regularly. Transfer to an airtight container when you think they have dried out enough. I am sure you could also pop them on the top of a wood burning stove or similar to dry.

Squirrels ...... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!!!! they always raid my stash and the cat just watches them steal my nuts from under her nose without lifting a paw.

Frieslandfilly · « **Reply #5 on:** November 05, 2010, 09:53:40 am »

Well have got a good store of nuts, this is what I did

I picked them, after the first few startd to fall and I could see that the green casings were begining to crack as it were, then left them to dry out in the greenhouse, after a couple of weeks I took all the green casings off (and got brown hands) and then put the walnuts back into the greenhouse in a single layer to dry for a further couple of weeks. I now have a lovely basket of walnuts!! The hazelnuts however were a different story, I had picked quite a few up from the ground, a coupke of days later saw the squirell outside, made amental note to pick more nuts the next day but when I went to find some they we all gone!!

lazybee · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2010, 07:19:13 pm »

UPDATE! my Fox terrier "Scud" has 'had' the squirrel

. He stayed under the tree for almost three weeks solid. Perseverance finally paid off.

Bright Raven · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2011, 08:07:12 pm »

I have just had two Buccaneer Walnut trees delivered and they look fantastic. First crop .... 3 to 4 years.
Shame about the squirrel.

OhLaLa · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2011, 06:12:05 pm »

Quote from: lazybee on September 19, 2010, 06:52:09 pm

I have a squirrel that always takes a few. I know when he's in the tree as my fox terrier tries to climb up to get at him. I still manage to get at least a large sack full for us.

Quote from: lazybee on September 20, 2010, 11:46:26 am

Some will get nicked by the local wildlife but we still have loads.

Quote from: lazybee on November 21, 2010, 07:19:13 pm

UPDATE! my Fox terrier "Scud" has 'had' the squirrel . He stayed under the tree for almost three weeks solid. Perseverance finally paid off.

After admitting there are plenty for all, you let the dog kill the squirrel.
And three weeks? REALLY not impressed.

Bright Raven · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2011, 09:23:50 pm »

That's right, there is good eating on a squirrel, you could have bagged him for yourself!

lazybee · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:23:18 am »

Quote from: OhLaLa on January 15, 2011, 06:12:05 pm

Quote from: lazybee on September 19, 2010, 06:52:09 pm
I have a squirrel that always takes a few. I know when he's in the tree as my fox terrier tries to climb up to get at him. I still manage to get at least a large sack full for us.

Quote from: lazybee on September 20, 2010, 11:46:26 am
Some will get nicked by the local wildlife but we still have loads.

Quote from: lazybee on November 21, 2010, 07:19:13 pm
UPDATE! my Fox terrier "Scud" has 'had' the squirrel . He stayed under the tree for almost three weeks solid. Perseverance finally paid off.

After admitting there are plenty for all, you let the dog kill the squirrel.
And three weeks? REALLY not impressed.

I suppose I could have locked him in the house for a month or two

?? His is a terrier............that's what they do. Tant pis as they say here

seldomseen · « **Reply #11 on:** March 06, 2011, 11:10:32 am »

We have a few walnut trees, rhey are all quit old, some yrs are better than others, we just let them drop off the trees in late summer to early autumn, then collect them up and (wearing gloves) you will need the gloves on as the outer fleshy part thats either pretty dry or starting to go to mush stains everything with a thick black die, dont do as I did the first yr I was over here and de shell them with out the gloves, my hands where black then yellow for weeks, we then leave them in the sun to dry our totally for a few weeks and bag them in mesh bags, they will keep for a yr or si if no moisture gets to them.
then we will sell them in the spring or roast them on the fire and eat mmmmmmmmmmmmmm luvvvvvverly