Topic: Hazel nuts

[Jayb]

Usually the squirrels make off with all the hazel nuts here, but this year there are lots ripe on our tree and now falling on to the path. I’ve picked a nice bowlful, but would like to keep some for Christmas. In the past if I've tried to keep some they just shrivel in the shell, I think too fresh? They are much later than usual and all seem quite ripe, what’s the best way to store them?
Anyone else with a bumper harvest?

[artichoke]

I just keep them in a wooden bowl and eat them as time goes by. Some wither, most don't. The good ones have certainly kept for months, and definitely beyond Christmas.

[Palustris]

Snap.
I do open up a fair number and roast them on a tray in the oven for a few minutes. These are then kept in an airtight container. They do not keep as long though, as unshelled nuts.

[squeezyjohn]

Not from my own tree, but one I found growing nearby ... never seen such big plump nuts with so many full kernels.

I've picked a sackful of the things and have dried them out on trays for about a week to make sure they're as dry as can be before popping them in the sack to dry further.  There is still moisture present in the kernels - and they mustn't be kept in anything that retains water (plastic bags etc.) or the kernels will start to rot.

Nuts seem to be a very under-rated home-grown/wild food source in general - one shake of this tree and it's raining down plump, oil and protein filled, self-packaged goodness pills which really appeal to my inner thrifty-bugger!

The walnuts are nearly ready for me to throw footballs at too and it looks like a bumper harvest of those too!

 

[artichoke]

There is a group of hazel trees at the far end of our allotment site but very few people collected them, only three of us and one is now sadly in a home. Energetic new committee wanted to cut them back, especially the lower branches, so I put in a word for the best tree (large nuts just as you describe them!) and tied a rag to it to make sure they knew which one it was.......but the lower branches have indeed disappeared. Shame. On another site the nuts are so tiny even I cannot be bothered to collect and crack them. But I'm thinking of buying a Kentish Cob, as at least they will pollinate it.

Never thought of roasting some of them - thanks!

[Jeannine]

There used to be a forum member that grew them. He also impregnated them with truffle spawn, I remember because I traded him small seedlings for something.. I can't remember his name though.

XX Jeannine

[squeezyjohn]

Just been out to our local hazelnut and walnut trees and the recent wind and rain has brought a load of ripe nuts showering down!

The squirrels haven't got to all of them yet - so if you've got a good tree locally then I'd get moving!!!

Maybe save the squirrels a few for winter - although this year seems to be such a bumper crop that I imagine that there's plenty for everyone.

[Jeannine]

Re my post above, the mans name on the forum who grew Hazel nut trees was called Truffle, has has not beem active for a coup;e of years but there is a link to his site if anyone wants to know about the trees, just look at his old posts.

XX Jeannine

[Jayb]

Thanks, hazels now in a large bowl, it will be nice if some keep for crimbo, if I don't eat them all first! I've also put some in a paper bag in the salad part of the fridge, I thought dark and cool would be ok. It's a nice luxury having ripe hazels, first for a long time to the squirrels, no doubt they will raid the bird table once they are hungry.

Windy here the few days and I think all the hazels have fallen now, noticed a lot more chewed shells too. I'd love to have a Kent Cob tree, but can't see much point when so many squirrels about?

[artichoke]

Thanks for that, Jeannine, I have found now Truffle's website and emailed to ask about the size and quality of the nuts produced by the hazels he sells inoculated with truffles. His hazels are not Kent Cobs, but I quite fancy having a reasonably good nut tree plus the possibility of truffles as well!

 I hope there will not be a big problem with squirrels because they have a long tall hedge to feed from, and this tree would be isolated about 200m away across open ground, so I would hope they would stay safely in the hedge.

I'm confined to bed at the moment, but expecting to be up and about in a few days to see if I can find any useful nuts from the one good allotment tree - I'll really miss them if I am too late this year. I wonder if a fridge might be rather damp for your paper bag nuts? I hope not. Could one freeze them for later, like pine nuts?

[manicscousers]

We've found a sweet chestnut tree 
Our hazels have produced lots this year, they're sitting in 2 big bowls on the ironing board at the moment 

[Jayb]

Truffles is an interesting looking site http://www.plantationsystems.com/ and does sound fun trying to grow your own truffles, though I've never tasted them!
I thought it might be too damp in the fridge too, I just thought as Mr Nutkins buries his in the ground, it might be ok?
Hope you are up and about very soon 

We've found a sweet chestnut tree 
Our hazels have produced lots this year, they're sitting in 2 big bowls on the ironing board at the moment 

Lucky Manics, are the chestnuts ready to pick now?

[Jeannine]

I did a bit of cruising on the net and you tube, it seems they freeze well. XX Jeannine