Posted by Cindy on November 7, 2008
Remember the black walnuts we collected to harvest and freeze? Yeah, well, let’s just say it turned out a bit like the applesauce experience. What you see below is less that one cup of walnuts, which took at least 45 minutes of my hard labor.
I got lots of great advice on doing applesauce the easier way next year. Any advice for an easier way to harvest these little boogers? (I used a hammer on a large rock to crack the shell – which flew everywhere. Then used a nut tool to painstakingly get the meat out.)
At this point, I told my son to scatter the rest of the walnuts out for the squirrels! My husband told him to bag them up just in case I change my mind. Me, change my mind? 
Posted by Cindy on October 3, 2008
Today was a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L day in Central KY! We took advantage of the perfect afternoon with a nature walk, um ride, to gather hedge apples and black walnuts.
Hedge apples are supposed to keep spiders away. In fact, hedgeapple.com claims these pretty green fruits might keep other insects away as well. This batch was collected for my MIL, who swears by their effectiveness. I’ll probably gather some for myself soon to place in the basement.
After a litte encouragement from Nikki, we decided to collect several bags of the black walnuts that are abundantly falling all over the farm. I’m hoping to be able to freeze several quart bags full for the year’s baking. (I’m finding in hard to be able to afford nuts in the store these days!) I’ll be sure to let you know how easy/hard the harvesting process is (for us anyway.)
The top picture is of my two big kids waiting for their ride home. And in the bottom picture, little man is on his way to pick up those big kids. By the way, if you live close, you’re welcome to come take your own nature trek for hedge apples or walnuts. We have plenty.
