When is a walnut a walnut?

[Ufatz]

For a few decades a nice black walnut tree has been nurtured and pampered and now, for the first time, it is producing nuts. They are large and green and covered with a husk I guess. Our friends the squirrels are picking them off soon as they appear it seems.

How do we know when they are edible and ready to be made into walnut creme pie? Do we hack off the green husk or does it fall off?

The squirrels refuse to share and won't even tell us where they are taking them.

[Dotch]

lol! They're usually ready when they start falling off the trees and the husks are turning brown or black. At that point we'd run them through the old hand crank corn sheller then put them on a hay rack under some chicken wire to dry so the squirrels didn't just help themselves. Then throw your gloves away after handling them. The stain took days to come off your hands. Of course from what you're describing, that maybe ain't gonna happen this time around. Squirrels are notorious for picking them green although I know of no humans who will use them at that point. I cracked many a 5 gallon pail full of them for Mom over the years. Nothing better in brownies, fudge, and any number of cookies recipes. Especially good in chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven with a glass of milk on a cold winter day when I'd pitched chit all morning. Never had a black walnut crème pie although it sounds yummy. Nowadays I rely on my connections for walnuts. A retired friend cracks 'em all winter long. Never seen a guy get as many whole nutmeats as that. Of course, aside from ice fishing, he has nothing better to do that time of year.

[Ufatz]

Thank you. The way the little red squirrels are hauling them away we won't get a change to husk any of them. They go up in the tree, cut the nuts loose and let them fall to the ground-then they come down, pick one up and run like hell to their hiding place. To our knowledge this is the first year the tree has borne fruit. At this rate we will never see one go from green to ready.

I guess I could put a chair down there and sit waiting for the squirrel to cut a few loose then I'd grab them and run like hell! LOL

[Dotch]

Oh jeez, that's right, you're up in the area where those little red knotheads are. Bad enough with all the fox and occasional gray squirrels here but those things are little devils. I have a black walnut tree in the pasture about 30 years old now that has produced walnuts for the past 5 - 6 years. I have yet to collect any before the squirrels get them. Luckily Bugtussle is full of walnuts free for the taking. In fact many of the property owners curse them because the walnuts are tough on mower blades not to mention smashing windows and putting holes in vinyl siding when you hit them. I don't know how many it might take to make a walnut crème pie but if you'd like, PM me and we'll see if I can arrange to get you enough from my friend to make one somehow.

[jentz]

I pick them off the tree and ground.Put them in a gunnysac and hang the sack where squirrels cant get to it.They over winter that way,the husks turn brown and will be easily removed in spring.Then the tough part cracking them with a hammer on the concrete garage floor.If you try it put a bucket under the gunnysack it will catch all the walnut stain you'll ever need.

[Ufatz]

Thanks Dotch and all. Wife says she perfectly happy with squirrels getting the nuts as she is not wild about making walnut creme pies. Especially since our brand new Kenmore oven stopped dead the third time we used it!

Be advised fellas, some of the old dependable names aren't so well made and dependable now.

I'll get around to replacing it in a week or so.....maybe with a way better machine.

THEN I'll have a chat with her about making a walnut creme pie!

[PurpleFloyd]

For a few decades a nice black walnut tree has been nurtured and pampered and now, for the first time, it is producing nuts. They are large and green and covered with a husk I guess. Our friends the squirrels are picking them off soon as they appear it seems.

How do we know when they are edible and ready to be made into walnut creme pie? Do we hack off the green husk or does it fall off?

The squirrels refuse to share and won't even tell us where they are taking them.

The best idea is to let the squirrels do the heavy lifting and collect them in their lair. If you keep an eye on them, they are experts at knowing when they are ready to eat. Once you see that they have determined the fruit is ready to eat, they will peel the husks off and stage them for eating and that is when you sneak up and whack them in the know nuthin, grab the walnuts and run.

[Dotch]

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/harvesting-black-walnuts/

From the U. Obviously written for those with too much free time on their hands...lol!

[jentz]

I have to disagree with some of the U's suggestions.I been picking walnuts since 1956 with my grand ma.Some of the article says the flavor is ruined.The ones we picked back then and the ones off my local trees stored over winter are great tasting.I will have to say about 1/2 are empty of meat.

Personally some old timers know more about this stuff than the recommended commercial producers.

Or as the saying goes there's more than one way to skin a cat

[delcecchi]

They fall off the trees while the husks are still green. If you keep them around the husks turn dark brown and exude a liquid that is a permanent stain. It used to be used to dye cloth back in the day.

Some people put them on the driveway and drive a car back and forth over them to get the husks off.

I bet you could go around Rochester and get bushels of them for free in yards and parks.

[RebelSS]

Squirrels been carrying the walnuts like crazy the last week. Must be another hard winter coming. They have to sit on my deck and rotate those nuts like a nut-o-matic sheller, spewing the green husks all over my deck. Plenty down here for the taking; CAWchester is full of nuts.