Anyone out gathering?

ohsoloco · September 30, 2005, 09:42:03 PM

Last year I was lucky to get a dozen hickory nuts off of the shagbark in my field :( This year, I don't even remember seeing a squirrel....lots of hawks around my place though ;)

I can't believe the amount of nuts that tree has produced this year

For the past couple weeks the dog and I go out to the hickory tree and pick up all of the nuts that have fallen. I get to see a lot of the neighbors since the tree hangs over the road, and I'm always down there scrounging around :D They're still falling every day, and I've already filled up two burlap sacks (they originally held 44 pounds of rice....so the sack says). Been giving them away to anyone that I think would like them.

I like to sit on the back porch and crack the nuts, but I made the mistake of feeding a few to Maya. She could be out sniffin' around the yard, but as soon as I break out the hammer and hickory nuts, there's a big black nose in front of my hands :D Soon I'll have to bake a white cake and put some of those nuts in there...ooooh, and one for black walnuts, too.

Anyone else out collecting something good this fall ???

Bro. Noble · September 30, 2005, 10:13:45 PM

While cutting logs the other day, I noticed that the coral mushrooms were up ;D

beenthere · September 30, 2005, 10:21:22 PM

I am picking, and have found the same re: squirrels - ate the green nuts last year before they hit the ground - and hardly a squirrel to be seen this year. Maybe they didn't winter over so well? ???

Of the couple dozen hickory trees, I have found one that has large nuts AND large meats as well. Quite a difference between trees, I've found. Picked up about a bushel so far, and more coming. Crack them in the vice.

Great year for most nuts, including acorns. But my favorite walnut tree hasn't a one on it this year. :(

ohsoloco · September 30, 2005, 10:35:26 PM

Noble, I really wish I knew my mushrooms :-[ I love 'em, but the only wild ones I get are handouts from people that know what they're picking....hey, I should get her a bag of nuts, maybe I'll get some mushrooms in return ;)

Beenthere, I noticed LOTS of acorns this year. This hickory tree is out in the field with no other trees around it. I was curious about the other hickories in the woods, but I only located a couple nuts and they weren't any good...don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.

I was worried about the walnuts on the tree in my yard. Most of the nuts that fell first weren't any good. The shells were really soft and would crush when I stepped on them to get the hulls off...the meat obviously wasn't any good. Found another walnut tree on the edge of my property that has good meat, and now some of the ones in the yard are good too

I love the sink or float test for walnuts, it saves me a lot of time and cussin' :D

Furby · September 30, 2005, 10:43:23 PM

Been hearing from most everyone how mild of a winter we are supposed to have this winter.
Been telling them they better not bet on it!
The nuts are the heaviest they have been in years!
PILES of acorns, BIG ones too!
Walnuts are just a bit above average, have some hickory stashed for planting, but not a lot.
Still need to collect some acorns and soon..........leaves are falling fast.

SwampDonkey · October 01, 2005, 01:13:45 PM

Nut production is down this year on my butternut and walnuts. My red oak are (were) loaded though. I have one more squirrel to deal with. ;D

Patty · October 01, 2005, 03:03:04 PM

We Gathered all our winter squash today. Wow what a crop! I covered the whole back patio with them...I sure hope the neighbors like squash. I may turn into "delivery at midnight" deals when they aren't lookin'. :D

beenthere · October 01, 2005, 03:11:34 PM

How far will you deliver? I'll leave the light on

Norm · October 01, 2005, 03:29:49 PM

We had bugs hit our winter squash crop last year, stink bugs were real bad. I planted a big crop this year just in case.

The lady bugs were thick today so spent a lot of time just swatting away the little $%^^%%! Tomorrow I'm gonna nuke the outside of the house with lethal chemicals. ;D

SwampDonkey · October 01, 2005, 05:02:38 PM

Wow, that's a nice crop. I had buttercup squash tonight for supper with meatload and taters. ;D

Tom · October 01, 2005, 07:38:58 PM

Mmmmmmm-boy! I envy you guys and your winter squash.

wiam · October 01, 2005, 11:07:15 PM

Tom, are there state laws preventing someone from sending you some??

Will

Norm · October 02, 2005, 09:44:34 AM

You've never had good winter squash until you've tried this variety. There's two different kinds but both are buttercups. Nice thing about em is that they get better with age, about mid December they are at their peak.

crtreedude · October 02, 2005, 11:29:16 AM

I always loved Butternut squash - so sweet and creamy. You guys are making me hungry! I will definitely have to sample some fine October produce while in the states.

What have we been gathering?

Field oranges - they aren't as sweet as the ones you normally see, but they are great when you are thirsty. Also, mandarian limes are ready now. I just got some coconuts for Ana - she wants to create a desert for my parents - hope it makes it without me eating it. (Ana is our cook)

There is these spiny looking things, the spines are soft, you cut into them inside is a clear gelatin with a seed - very very tasty. I can eat my weight in them.

Lots of other stuff too that I can't pronounce. Guyavas are in full production, the fish love them.

What is wonderful about the tropics is that if you grow lots of different trees, etc. you can walk through the forest year round and nibble on things - as long as you can get to them before the monkeys.

The is especially true for wild bananas that are supposed to be really good - but I haven't tasted any yet - the monkeys are just too quick.

We also have volunteer papaya, mangos and water apples. Tons of fruit. We have so many coconuts that we chop them in half and throw them to the piggies.

ohsoloco · October 02, 2005, 02:41:20 PM

Big surprise I'm getting hungry reading this thread :D

So, how do y'all cook your squash ??? I always look at those things and wonder what the heck to do with them :-\

I love being able to walk around the yard and just pick something up to eat. Yesterday I met my brother at my folks' place for a road trip, and after stepping into the yard I remembered I didn't eat any breakfast so I snagged a couple apples from the front yard

I'm kinda glad the nursery made a mistake on that tree....it was supposed to be an ornamental pear :

My dad didn't believe me years ago when I said there's apples on that there tree :D

SwampDonkey · October 02, 2005, 03:12:32 PM

ohsoloco:

You can do several things with your squash

1. take and quarter it and remove the seeds, but leave the skin on and bake what you want (1 or 2 quarters ???) in the oven like a potato. Then take it out and scoop out the flesh from the skin.

2. take and quarter it and remove the seeds and skin, then cut it up into chunks and steam them

or

microwave the chunks in a pyrex dish. For me, I just use a 2 cup pyrex measure cup and fill it with some chunks of squash and nuke it for 4-5 minutes on high.

One squash is way too much for me and it's best cooked fresh. So what I do is I chunk it all up and put it in a covered dish in the fridge. When it's in season i eat a fair amount of it and have a baked tater as well. Awesome with a little turkey or beef gravey, but I usually use majorine instead. ;D

I prefer dry squash, and buttercut is dry, but make sure you don't get 'green' ones. They'll all have green skins but look for ones with some yellowing on them and they will be dryer. Along about December they get wet and stringy, at that point I don't care for them. Also, make sure your squash has a small stem left on it, it will keep better.

ohsoloco · October 02, 2005, 06:20:55 PM

Cool, thanks SD

There's already one sack of nuts here at the folks', and as of last night I now have two more full sacks o' hickory nuts at the house 8) Anyone have any good recipies ??? :D

SwampDonkey · October 03, 2005, 06:59:58 AM

Why not squash pie or muffins? Same as pumpkin.

Patty · October 03, 2005, 03:21:10 PM

We usually bake our winter squash. We slice them in half, remove the seeds, and then put lots of butter, salt & pepper into the cavity. I poke holes down into the squash so the butter melts into it further. ;) When serving we often mix it with mashed potatoes and more butter, or gravy. My friend adds brown sugar in with her butter to hers before she bakes it.

They are just DanG good no matter how they are prepapred.

SAW MILLER · October 03, 2005, 06:06:22 PM

My wife cuts the butternut squash in chunks and stews them and then makes a glaze with brown sugar just like ya put on sweet taters and bakes it.People at a carry in thought they were eating sweet taters until we told them different .I bet it would even be good with grits!!! ;D ;D

farmerdoug · October 10, 2005, 10:10:43 PM

We have a bumper crop on all nuts this year. The winter squash and pumpkins did excellent too. As for the squirrels, they had a rough winter here last year and most of them did not make it. There is only a few around the woods. 8) The nut crop is making it hard to hunt deer and turkey this fall though. They say to hunt around an oak tree that has a good crop of nuts but what do you do when the woods is full of nuts. :

Farmerdoug

ohsoloco · October 10, 2005, 10:38:13 PM

I did finally see two squirrels at my place this Saturday. Friday and Saturday was the first time we had a good soaking rain in a LONG time...the birds and squirrels really had a good time with it, then again the dog had a great time chasing all of them as well :D Those two squirrels were playing in and around the hickory tree, but I haven't seen them taking any for themselves ???