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Walnuts, Walnuts, Walnuts!

6K views 44 replies 24 participants last post by  rtgt 
#1 ·
Don't know what creates the difference from year to year but the walnut trees at my old home of 16 years are dropping more walnuts than I have ever seen there. I picked up 160 yesterday under just 1/2 of one tree, the other half falls in the wooded area. Another smaller one along the driveway dropped 106 overnight and they both have been dropping for a few weeks now. Last time we had a big walnut drop we had a very snowy winter.
 
#2 ·
It’s the same with chestnuts this year. Last year there were none and this year more than I’ve ever seen. They arrived a bit late but so far I’ve gathered around 50 lbs and the tree still looks untouched.
 
#6 ·
I can second the hickory nuts this year. I also have a huge amount of hazel nuts on my trees as well.

The old farmers almanac does predict a cold and snowy winter this year.
 
#4 ·
I have walnut trees lining the west side of my property. Quite a few are right over my pole barn that houses my 1025r. They’ve been falling like mad this year. With the metal roof sounds like gunshots going off. I was under my tractor (which was up on Ramps) doing maintenance when about 10 of them hit at once. Scared the blleep outta me. I told my wife my @ss Cheeks clenched and scooted me out from under the tractor faster than I’ve ever moved. 😂
 
#5 ·
Funny you're mentioning the walnuts dropping this year. I stopped by the farm next door to drop off some lunch and coffee to my son this afternoon. Pulled in and ran over a few walnuts on the pavement. One shot out from below the tire and whizzed by my son's nose. We were both quite surprised! There must have been a few dozen below the tree and likely hundreds or thousands ready to drop as well.
 
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#7 ·
The walnut trees in the neighbors yard has had several branches broken due to the weight of all the walnuts. The trees are all loaded with walnuts.

Where there would normally be 2 or 3 small clusters of walnuts on a branch, now there are 4 or 5 clusters of 4 or 5 nuts each. The question is, what is the best way to process the walnuts and is it worth the effort?

There must be an easy way to remove the green husk on them other than with the lawnmower...............
 
#8 ·
The walnut trees in the neighbors yard has had several branches broken due to the weight of all the walnuts. The trees are all loaded with walnuts.

Where there would normally be 2 or 3 small clusters of walnuts on a branch, now there are 4 or 5 clusters of 4 or 5 nuts each. The question is, what is the best way to process the walnuts and is it worth the effort?

There must be an easy way to remove the green husk on them other than with the lawnmower...............
You don't have to Hull them to sell them. I sold a couple of thousand pounds a few years ago.

 
#10 ·
Same here. It’s like mowing in the Chuck E Cheese ball pit. They aren’t falling anywhere near where the house or vehicles are so I just mow over them. I’m not picking them up… I already pick up about 25,000 locust tree seed pods a year.
 
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#11 ·
All the trees here are loaded this year. My apple trees are bending over from the weight. 2 big walnut trees at the farm house and my Aunt and Uncle lost count how many bucket loads they have hauled. The went to Menards and bought one of theses 👇. Works good.
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#13 ·
I have one walnut, planted by a squirrel perhaps 10 years ago. I left it alone. I had a few nuts fall in the last 2-3 years. You guys are correct though - this year was tons. I filled up 5gal buckets every day. I tossed many into the land scape waste bags, but 5 gals of them is borderline too heavy for the driver to pick up. I snuck some into my son in laws cans (his cans are picked up by the truck's hyd arm, not a driver) And I took a few to the hardware store's can if I was running an errand there anyway. Whew!

We also have a crabapple in back, this year was a bumpercrop there too. Wife has made jelly twice this summer
 
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#15 ·
Same here, lots of walnut, hickory nuts and acorns. I’ve been bicycling a lot lately, it can get a little scary, about like trying to bike on a roadway filled with bowling balls.

Mowing in the Chucky Cheese ball pit, that’s funny and true. I make sure nobody is standing around, almost like a frag grenade going off under the tractor.
 
#16 ·
#18 ·
We could probably make some nice pocket change but there's no buying station within about 900 miles of us. So unless I pick up some to plant for timber, the squirrels get the rest.
 
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#24 ·
Yep, I got a whole tote bin of firewood from two walnut limbs. It's dangerous to walk under the walnut trees right now. A couple of limbs overhand sheds with metal roofs- they sound like shots hitting the roof.
 
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#33 ·
Delivered a 5th truck load Friday. That brings the processed total for this year to 2,217 pounds. Easily had another truck load in the yard but didn't get around to picking any up this weekend due to rain. Came home from work yesterday to discover the creek that runs by my house had flooded my yard and carried away a good portion of the walnuts. I figure I lost enough to fill at least two 55 gallon barrels, so probably somewhere around $30. I guess the plus side is now I have less to pick up.
 
#34 ·
I took two FE loader buckets full of the walnuts down to the lower river property and dropped them there for the critters. I needed to trim the trees around the walnut tree in the neighbors yard and walking on the walnuts is sketchy. I don't need to injure something, so I shoveled the walnuts into the bucket.....

There is one black squirrel on the game cameras who can carry two of the walnuts with the green husks on them at the same time in his / her mouth......There are at least half a dozen pictures of this black squirrel carrying two walnuts, side by side in its mouth running towards the camera................need to find that memory card and post the pictures...
 
#35 ·
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I had been filling up 5 gallon buckets to haul off but after a good wind storm I broke out the Pinto Gator. Made three trips.

More have come down since.
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This winter I am going to "trim" a couple of the trees, like at ground level trimming.
 
#37 ·
View attachment 810762

I had been filling up 5 gallon buckets to haul off but after a good wind storm I broke out the Pinto Gator. Made three trips.

More have come down since. View attachment 810763

This winter I am going to "trim" a couple of the trees, like at ground level trimming.
Depending on how many trees & how many walnuts they drop, you could see if there is a processing station nearby. The one I go to will take any amount, even if it’s just 1 bucket.

If you’re set on removing your walnut trees, you might be able to make some money if the logs are big enough.
 
#36 ·
We're finally getting to the end of walnut drop with rain and wind yesterday. It was hazardous to walk around before now. I've been hit a couple of times with them coming off the trees and while not lethal a walnut from 40' up stings a little. Even worse, they came down in clusters where one would hit another which hit another etc. so it was more like little grenades coming down.

I gathered 3 five gallon buckets but might have wasted the few minutes that took. I cracked three walnuts and all three were bad so I might be emptying the buckets, lol. Oh well, at least I don't have to walk on those.
 
#38 ·
We're finally getting to the end of walnut drop with rain and wind yesterday. It was hazardous to walk around before now. I've been hit a couple of times with them coming off the trees and while not lethal a walnut from 40' up stings a little. Even worse, they came down in clusters where one would hit another which hit another etc. so it was more like little grenades coming down.

I gathered 3 five gallon buckets but might have wasted the few minutes that took. I cracked three walnuts and all three were bad so I might be emptying the buckets, lol. Oh well, at least I don't have to walk on those.
You can test walnuts by putting them in water after you remove the hulls. If they float, pitch them. If they sink, they should be good to eat.
 
#44 ·
Delivered the 11th truck load yesterday evening, bringing this years total to over 4,600 pounds.

Started early this morning with the hopes of finishing up my yard so I could drop off the last load tomorrow. All that changed when the snow started to accumulate.

Since the leaves started dropping, I’ve been using the mower as a leaf blower to make it easier to pick the walnuts up. Started doing that this morning, then the snow started. I was convinced it wouldn’t stick, so there I am, looking like I’m mowing the snow. It was kind of funny for a minute.

By the time I finished the tree, my yard was covered. Walked back to take a picture after dumping the buckets and my tracks were almost gone. If it stays cold, I’ll just cut my losses and let the squirrels have what’s left.
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