| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| bobbywett |
Went Out Gathering Hickory Nuts TodayToday I decided to go gather some hickory nuts from one of my local hunting spots. I wanted to gather about 1000 or so....but only was able to find about 500.....498 to be exact. Looks like I'll be putting together a nut cracking contraption in the near future.Thanks, Bob 
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| Jamanda |
Gosh! What's a hickory nut then? It looks like there's lots of them. They look a bit like walnuts. Are you from the US Bobbywett?
I don't think I've talked to you yet! Welcome to the forum. |
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| bobbywett |
Jamanda,
Yes I am from the U.S., I live In Hershey, PA and gathered nuts about 6 miles from my home. There are a mess of them falling right now. Where are you from? Thanks, Bob |
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| Jamanda |
We are in Torrington, in the South west of England. So what did you do with all your nuts? |
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| lettucewoman |
 .........er............it's the drugs...............
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| bobbywett |
Nothing yet...gonna make a nut cracker soon. | ||||
| tahir |
They're hard to crack aren't they? | ||||
| ksia |
But that big knife should at least make them nervous. |
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| tahir |
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| wellington womble |
What do you do with them? When you've cracked them, I mean? | ||||
| bobbywett |
They are hard to crack, for sure....this is actually my first haul ever...so I'll be learning as I go. I was told to boil or bake them for 15 minuets or so...till they crack. Then you let them cool and dig finish cracking them and dig out the meat.
ksia, I forged that knife myself....it's my hobby. |
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| tahir |
You boil them first? I've not heard of that before, I thought you just needed an extra strength cracker? Something like the ones here:
http://www.grimonut.com/catalog.php?catID=76 |
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| bobbywett |
tahir,
Thanks for the great website on heavy duty nut crackers. Unfortunately....I'm new to gathering hickory nuts....so I have to get advice form others. Someone told me to Boil/Bake them to soften the shells....not sure if this is good information or not? Thanks Again, Bob |
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| mochyn |
Why not try boiling a handful and baking another, then trying cracking those and a few oncooked ones? Should give an idea of whether cooking has any effect.
Tahir: have you planted any hickory? |
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| bobbywett |
mochyn, Sounds like a good way to approach it. Thanks, Bob |
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| tahir |
Not yet, I think there'll be some in the new extension to the woods when we get round to it, as well as some other rare walnut relatives |
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| wellington womble |
Tahir, I don't think I've ever got to the bottom of what you plan to do with all your produce (you know, in your copious spare time?  ) or is it just to supply your extended family?
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| tahir |
I'll let you know if I ever get to the bottom of it myself. In my ideal world we'd be selling our produce in our own farmshop which would enable me to work with other local producers, to try and get them out of the commodities game. |