Wild Hickory Nuts! Fall Foraging Win!

Having rounded the corner of Labor Day, here in the northeast the days are noticeably shorter as the Autumnal Equinox comes into view.  In less than three weeks, it will be Fall, and that is a perfect time to harvest the bounty of nuts that our forest and woodland tree friends provide.  American chestnuts, hickories, black walnuts, white walnuts - also known as butternuts - and beechnuts can all be used for snacking or in baking, and will enhance your recipes with a distinct nutty flavor.

Stately shagbark hickory, Roseland, NJ  (photo credit:  author)

As part of my herb/weed walks, foraging is interwoven with the medicinal local plants.  Wild nut trees are all around us, often dropping an abundance of food clearly at our feet.  Oftentimes when walking through the woods, I see the nuts on the ground first, cluing me in to their proximity.  Shagbark hickory trees are easily identified because they look like someone stopped while pulling long strips of bark away from the trunks.  They can grow to be over 100 feet tall, and can live to be well over 350 years old.  Once a nut takes root and grows into a sapling, it takes about 10 years to bear nuts, and can produce for about 90-125 years.  Their botanical name is Carya ovata, and they are in the Walnut family (Juglandaceae), which currently also includes pecans and beechnut trees.

Shagbark hickory fruit is rich and creamy, often tasting like a cross somewhere between a pecan and a walnut.  The nut will fall to the ground in a green husk, (also referred to as a 'bur'), and sometimes will appear with brown spots.  Usually four-five seams will be visible, and will widen as the husk dries, making it easier to remove the shell that encases the nutmeat inside.

It can be fun to gather these green hickory nuts with children and bring them home for an exquisite treat!  One method of gathering is to remove the green outer husk as you pick them up, and toss back onto the ground to re-fertilize the area.

Once home, check for any that look moldy or discolored, or even contain a distinct perfectly round tiny hole. (possibly from a nut weevil that exits after eating the yummy nutmeat).

Then toss the nuts in a large bowl about half filled with water.  The ones that float are questionable, so set them aside to crack immediately.  The nuts that don't float should be dried for several weeks and then stored unshelled in the refrigerator.  For longer shelf life, store them in the freezer.

Cracking tips:  Some folks will tap them with a hammer on a stone floor.  Others will cover with a cloth and use a hammer so that the sharp shell pieces don't fly around.  Use a nut pick to coax out the nut meat from the shell.  Extremely fresh nuts will be a little more oily, so some folks choose to let them dry for a week or so before extracting the nutmeat.  

Storing tips:  Other than eating them straight out of the shell (challenging to stop once you start!), you can try soaking the nut meats in brine, and then roast them for a crunchy, salty flavor.  Or you can roast them slightly in a dry frying pan, or bake at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes, but the flavor won't be as rich as directly roasted nutmeats.   Alternatively, you can store the nutmeats in the freezer for up to 6 months - but why would you?

Save the shells for the hearth or fire pit!  The shells are hard as rocks, but because they contain oils, they will burn slowly and evenly for a delicate hickory scent or toss them on the BBQ to add a subtle hickory flavor to meats.

So try them out this fall.  Let me know what you think!

Green Blessings,

-Donna

Some Thoughts on Winter Health Care for Toddlers

In the last two weeks, three different people have asked me about how to keep their toddlers healthy during the winter months without resorting to over-the-counter or prescription medications.

I am happy to share my personal experience with my own infant daughter 27 years ago, as well as what her experience is currently with her daughters.  I do want to remind folks that I am not a doctor, and if your child is truly not well, please take them to a doctor or your local ER if the situation warrants that level of care.  

That being said, here are some winter health alternatives that truly DO work!  (Please note that I do use affiliate links, and, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)


Eat the Most Healthy Food You Can Afford

What is more important than the food we feed our families?  I am well aware that today's busy, hectic run-from-pillar-to-post lifestyle doesn't afford us the time to shop and cook like our Moms or Grandmoms may have cooked, and from scratch to boot. Do the best you can, with NO self judgement! 

Even if you can only afford the time or money to eat one organic, non-GMO meal a week, or only add one organic ingredient to a meal at a time, then that is what you can do and be proud of your Self for the loving effort of doing so for your family.  Make changes slowly and replace one conventional food product with one organic or non-GMO food product a week and, in a year, you will have replaced 52 foods with healthier versions!  Bravo!  (This is a larger topic for a whole blog post of its own!)