How to Gather Black Walnuts

Black walnuts lying on the ground are a bane to any gardener with a lawnmower. Consider harvesting black walnuts to use in cooking or to sell to retailers. The shells are used in the making of sandpaper and in earlier times, Indians chewed the bark to cure toothaches and drank tea made from the inner bark as a laxative. Harvesting black walnuts is messy but enjoyable.

Things You'll Need

• Old clothes
• Two pair gloves
• Wire brush
• Nut picker
• Bucket

Instructions

Instructions

1. Look for mature nuts that have green hulls. Do not pick the black hulls. The nuts will be on the ground and in the trees.

2. 

   Hold the nut picker over the ground and press into the nuts. The nuts will pop through the wires. Place them in a bucket.

3. Repeat Step 2 until the nuts have been harvested.

4. Spread the walnuts on a flat surface that is not in danger of getting stained. Stomp on the nuts with boots until all the hulls have cracked open. Discard the hull pieces and spread the nuts on a working surface.

5. Brush all remaining hulls from the nuts with the wire brush and wash the nuts clean. Spread cleaned nuts in one layer and allow to dry for four to six weeks to cure the nuts. The nuts are ready to eat after curing.

References

• harvesting nuts

Resources

• Nut picker information