Hazel Nuts

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 02 Oct 2007, 14:49

I am also going a bit nutty mad right now. I read in the Manual (eathcare!!) that we can't live on fruit, but we could live on nuts! My vitmain book is also proclaiming how good they are too!
so, I am plotting.......
I don't want to wait 20 years for a crop - so hazel, acorns and chestnuts will have to be our main nuts!

SunnyJim · Post by **SunnyJim** » 02 Oct 2007, 15:00

Have you already got nut trees in the wood or do you need to plant them? Have you found a good tree supplier?

I went on a course with Patrick Whitefield this year. What an amazing week. What an amazingly knowledgeable fellow.

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 02 Oct 2007, 15:22

we have chestnuts (obviously) and hazel in the woods next door ( that have a public footpath through...)

SunnyJim · Post by **SunnyJim** » 02 Oct 2007, 15:23

Wow. You lucky things!

I have no idea where the nearest chestnut tree to me is. I've been keeping an eye out too. Alot of horse chestnuts mind....

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 02 Oct 2007, 16:20

Tracy Pepler wrote:Has anyone tried preparing and eating acorns yet?
I read that you need to ripen them (store for 2 weeks) then shell and treat to remove tannins.
My book (Earth care manual) then says to roast them - how long and how hot?
and what do they taste like?
Apparently removing tannin may also remove vitamins and minerals, but you still get a good carbohydate...

....and anyone tried making flour with chestnuts?

thanks!
I am looking forward to getting some info!

Ray Mears says immerse them in a stream for a few days to wash the tannin out. The alternative way of processing them is to feed them to pigs, then eat the pigs. We've done that in the past and acorns taste really good that way. The same goes for beach masts, ash keys, hazel nuts and the chestnuts that are too small.

Don't let calves get near them, acorns will kill them. Older cattle have more sense. Again, personal experience.

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 02 Oct 2007, 18:27

ah, yes, I did read that I could eat the squirrels!

I don't have a stream (Ray Mears may have one!) so I will soak them at home, or boil them over a fire in the wood.
Weird that they are poisonous to some animals....

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 03 Oct 2007, 12:41

To remove the tanin a lower-energy way, you can put them in a cloth bag and leave in a running stream, but that takes ages (weeks?) and no-one else nicking them!

Just picked some giant(!) rose-hips on my way to work...not fit to eat they were right by a main road. I'm going to see if they germinate and then intersperse our garden hedge with ramblin'roses!

Blue Peter · Post by **Blue Peter** » 03 Oct 2007, 12:50

Tracy Pepler wrote:Disclaimer: I am not resonsible for any illness that may result!
I haven't tried it yet!

The inside of the acorn should look yellowish, if it is brown it is going off! lok out for worms and bugs.....

I think that here most of the acorns have gone. Of those that I can find, most seem to have large holes in them (squirrels?) and many of the rest seem to have very small holes in them. Is this related to the "worms and bugs"? Should one only use intact acorns?

Peter.

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 03 Oct 2007, 15:16

yes, intact acorns only - although the writer did say that while they were drying, the bugs inside would die....
we still have lots I think, I am going collecting tomorrow.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 03 Nov 2007, 21:56

Tracy Pepler wrote:we have chestnuts (obviously) and hazel in the woods next door ( that have a public footpath through...)

Any idea if you can grow a sweet-chestnut tree from a sweet-chestnut? Or are they one of those things like roses etc that need grafting?

Post by **mikepepler** » 04 Nov 2007, 09:23

RenewableCandy wrote:
Tracy Pepler wrote:we have chestnuts (obviously) and hazel in the woods next door ( that have a public footpath through...)
Any idea if you can grow a sweet-chestnut tree from a sweet-chestnut? Or are they one of those things like roses etc that need grafting?

You certainly can - there are lots of young self-seeded chestnut trees growing in our wood. You can also do "layering", where you use an existing coppice stool to spawn more trees next to it - cloning I suppose.

From this page:
http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handbooks/ ... ction/3756

Layering involves laying a stem to the ground and pegging it down until it roots. The resulting plant can be left to grow on in situ, or can be dug up after two growing seasons and transplanted. Layering from stools within the coppice has to be timed to fit in with the coppice cycle (see below). Alternatively, stools in a nursery area or alongside a ride can be set aside for layering purposes. This has the advantages that supply of young plants is easier to organise, and as young stems root more easily propagation rates from layering will be improved. The frequently cut stools also form a useful wildlife habitat, which combines well with management work to keep rides and glades open and sunny. A possible disadvantage is that plants are produced from fewer stools, so reducing genetic diversity.

Smithy · Post by **Smithy** » 04 Nov 2007, 20:25

RenewableCandy wrote:To remove the tanin a lower-energy way, you can put them in a cloth bag and leave in a running stream, but that takes ages (weeks?) and no-one else nicking them!

I thought Ray Mears left it over-night?

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 04 Nov 2007, 22:14

Smithy wrote:
RenewableCandy wrote:To remove the tanin a lower-energy way, you can put them in a cloth bag and leave in a running stream, but that takes ages (weeks?) and no-one else nicking them!
I thought Ray Mears left it over-night?

Hmm I might have been getting it mixed up with the sheep's fleece gold-gathering trick in ancient Ireland (this is not a wind-up) heck leave them too long and you might end up with Golden Nuts...right I'll stop there!

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 06 Nov 2007, 08:16

Well, weeks later, acorns in cold water, acorns boiled for hours and then roasted and Mike thinks they are ok! I think they are a bit burnt and I would have to be pretty hungry!
We are trying again. this time we roasted them slightly which made them easier to peel . Broke them up so they are smaller and maybe leach quicker. Boiled them lots while at the wood, but here at home we have them in cold water that we are changing a lot. Will let you know if they work out better this time!
A whole lot of work involved in a little bit of food!

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 10 Nov 2007, 21:19

I've seen a sort of flat-bread thing that you can make out of soaked/roast Acorns made into flour. Mind you it struck me the ERoEI wasn't too good...

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