Friday, November 13, 2015

Processing Walnuts

Fall is walnut season, and we have a couple of trees that were planted by the house, long before we ever lived there.  We put the twins to work gathering walnuts.  They picked up hundreds! 

Paul's parents passed along a walnut cracker that was missing a piece.  They picked it up at a yard sale for cheap.  Paul was able to weld the missing piece, and built a cute little box to mount it in, with sides to keep the walnuts from flying around. 

Walnuts are the superhero of nuts.  Ours are organic and raw, which have added health benefits.  Walnuts have been shown to have health benefits on brain health, cancer, reproductive health and diabetes. 

I made candied walnuts for the first time and they are delicious plain or on oatmeal.  We have a lot more to go on the walnuts, but we're cracking them, one shell at a time.

Readers, do you have a favorite way to eat walnuts?

24 comments:

Sunnybrook Farm said...

Wow, that is an industrial strength nut cracker. I used a hammer when I did it so that looks wonderful. The boys will be able to make some extra money in the years to come with that device.

Anonymous said...

You are fortunate to have walnut trees - they are expensive in the stores, especially around the holidays. I have not tried them candied, but I know they would be tasty.
My grandpa had a black walnut tree and would ask my mom to bake black walnut cake for him.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Wow I could have used those boys, we planted all our walnuts and it was a bumper crop this year. They are black walnuts and we do not have a nutcracker like that. We do have many black walnut trees on the farm now. Great job boys. Hug B

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

I'm allergic to walnuts. Just looking at them there makes me uncomfortable! :-) LOL We had a walnut tree on the farm growing up. I remember when the walnuts were still green--kind of encased in a green shell--and if you got any of the "juice" from the green part on you, it was hard to wash off. Paul certainly is talented in making things!

Sandra said...

We have a lot of walnut trees on the property.
It is a lot of working harvesting walnuts!!
I have used them for dyeing wool, but have not done much as in the way of harvesting for eating.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

That is so cool and I love that you have a walnut tree!

Sally said...

Good job little guys, and big guy. Yeah, I can't imagine shelling by hand, aren't they hard shelled?

With pecans, sometimes we sprinkle a little salt and cook in a frying pan. SO good!! :)

xox

Endah Murniyati said...

Interesting! Here, we have Kemiri, a kind of nut that almost similar to walnut. The shell is so hard, I think we should have a tool like as yours.

PioneerPreppy said...

Neat!!! I need to find a walnut cracker for the couple of trees we have. At least I will get something out of them other than picking them up and using em for fill somewhere.

Maggid said...

My Aunt & Uncle grew English Walnuts . . . I got to come stay with them in time for harvest - my job was to rake the walnuts out into the path - to be picked up and taken to the sorting house.

We picked that chore for me because I played guitar for a living and we didn't want to risk my fingers.

There was a community co-op - and, when it was time, everyone would join the fun of harvest - one property at a time . . everyone pitched in to help each other get to market in a timely fashion. (I love to consider how life could be if more people cooperated . . . . )

Tweedles -- that's me said...

That is a cool nutcracker! We only had the squeeze handle kind of nut cracker! We love wallnuts too,, so good!
love
tweedles

Anonymous said...

What busy fun your boys are having!
I like to use those nuts in baking and in salads. Yum!
You candied them? I never did that myself.

Linda said...

Candied sounds good! Walnuts taste bitter to me.

Unknown said...

This post reminded me of my Dad, who loved walnuts. How cool that the boys are so observant, picking up new ideas and having fun too!

Harry Flashman said...

I like to sit out on the porch, and crack them, and eat them raw.

troutbirder said...

We have butternut trees and do something similar if I can gather them before the squirrels do...:)

























Sharon Wagner said...

That looks like a fun fall delight. And healthy snacking.

Cat said...

Paul can fix anything!
You may remember the cream cheese fondant stuffed dates that Poppy made. She put a walnut half on top of each one. I loved those things!

Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan Too said...

You always do so many fun activities with your boys! I love it!

Starry Dawn said...

Hi Lisa,
I live in the city, not in the country. I wish I had...
I like walnuts, but I have not eaten them lately.
It's good to know walnuts are healthy food.
Your children are growing so beautifully, sweetheart.
Thank you for stopping by and caring to visit me, darling!!
Many blessings for you all.
Poet Starry.

Unknown said...

Years ago, we put the walnuts on the driveway and drove over them to crack the green husks and then hit the nut with a hammer and then pick out the walnuts

mail4rosey said...

Walnut Trees will bring you a small fortune if you sell them. We looked at a house to buy once that had them and the owner said he got offers on his all of the time.

An Apel a Day said...

This is one that I usually just buy in a bag. They are so good in baked things!

Annette said...

Candied walnuts sound delicious--especially during this time of the year. How cool that you're able to gather them right from your trees in the yard!