Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Black Walnut


Buddy and I collected a few green fruits and brought them home to study. Some we left out to dry and that created the dried nut look that I posted. That is the outer shell and it needs to come off to reach the actual walnut. There are two methods to getting to the nut. Both are a difficult process.
A green one we decided cut. With a very sharp knife I cut the green away to see the inside. It was very messy and left a trail of black juice under my nails. A good vegetable dye.! Black. We let the nut we found inside dry. It changed in colour and texture. And after drying out it begins to resemble a black walnut. Since we did not scrub it hard, some black streaks are visible on it's rough shell.
The walnuts we buy at the store look smooth and lighter. They have gone through a bleaching and polishing process.  Buddy and I have a greater appreciation for the harvesting of this nut and getting it to market. What remains a mystery to us is how the squirrels deal with this nut? Do they use the first or second method?                                                                          
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8 comments:

  1. DJanAugust 31, 2010 at 4:40:00 PM EDT

    Hmmm. Wonder how squirrels get to the nut? I think they are geniuses at getting into anything at all! Keeping them out is impossible, if you ask me. :-)

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  2. Gerry's Soap N StuffAugust 31, 2010 at 8:27:00 PM EDT

    Oh, I should have recognized it as a walnut, but did not..haa. Tell Buddy that I enjoyed this study. Gerry

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  3. ElisabethAugust 31, 2010 at 8:46:00 PM EDT

    I read your post, K. and all I can think of is the sharp, to me slightly acidic taste of walnuts, a taste I hated as a child but have since come to love. I too wonder about the squirrels. How do they do it? Thanks.

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  4. JoyfulAugust 31, 2010 at 9:08:00 PM EDT

    I enjoyed the story about the walnut. I never would have guessed what it was in it's "green" state :-)

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  5. Betsy Banks AdamsAugust 31, 2010 at 9:47:00 PM EDT

    Very interesting story about the walnut... I had no idea either.... See what I'm learning from blogging??????

    I think squirrels can get into anything... They are very smart!!!!!

    Thanks for the info...
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  6. MadSnapperSeptember 1, 2010 at 8:29:00 AM EDT

    i bet the squirrels use there big knives on these. ha ha
    i like the compositon of the photo with all the lines and the nut in the middle. very interesting story, had no idea

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  7. Bossy BettySeptember 1, 2010 at 10:18:00 AM EDT

    I shall ask the first squirrel I see and ask! I have a great fondness for black walnuts having spent hours with my grandfather cracking them open and digging out the meat.

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  8. Robert the SkepticSeptember 1, 2010 at 6:11:00 PM EDT

    I like almost all kinds of nuts, except Walnuts... I must be allergic to them because they taste bitter to me. My wife loves 'me.

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