hickory nuts
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On Sunday, my sister Tessa, my little neice Joy, & I went for a walk…
Joy was pushing about a large green hickory nut, when a retired gentleman stopped to chat with us…he told us that the shagbark hickory nut is actually very good to eat!
First, we came upon a different hickory tree, which we thought was the pignut hickory, with a smooth bark…these nuts are not as tasty…so we kept rolling along…(later, we found out that it could have been a young shagbark tree with its bark still smooth…)
Finally, we came upon the giant shagbark hickory, which was a very large tree with a distinctly shaggy bark, & piles & piles of hickory nuts underneath…
Some of the nuts still had the green husk as above…
And many had been feasted on by the squirrels…
But there were still many, many nuts where the green husk had dried up & split into quarters, releasing the inner nut…
Or so I thought… I tried to take a taste of the nut, not realizing that this was actaully the nutshell, & the true nut was still further inside…oops!
My ever kind sister Tessa tried to hold back her laughter…but, I did hear some funny kind of snorting sound coming from her. Baby Joy just hiccuped politely & looked up at the sky…
Well, when we got back home, we found an old nutcracker, and were able to crack the shell…inside was a little nut, similar to a tiny walnut! The taste to me was similar to that of a walnut mixed with a pecan!
The gentleman had also told us these hickory nuts had been a staple for many Native North American people, who mashed the nuts and then boiled them with water, & used the “nut flour” to make breads & many other recipes…
Today, people use hickory nuts in baking, similar to walnuts or pecans…the hickories are actually in the pecan family!
Well, I hope you can try some shagbark hickory nuts someday!
Just be very sure to release the true, innermost nut first!
love,
Clay Ball
Dear Clay Ball
Reading and learning more about these mysterious, quite beautiful nuts is a great joy for me.
This all brings me back to my youth when we collected them when they were at the stage of your first Photo.
We loved to hear them falling down onto our driveway and grass, many still heavy and green, then collected them when they were light, dry and a lovely brown-beige and used them through the year to play many different games.
The best of all was our cat playing hockey on the kitchen floor using the nuts as pucks. She loved it and it was excellent exercise for her.
Thank you Clay Ball for the memories! I was so lucky to stumble onto your interesting site.
I look forward to check in again.
Best of luck to you and your family from the
Old-timer
Thank you, dear Old Timer!
Best, best of good wishes to you as well! :)
love,
clay ball
We have a yard full of these. I decided to crack one open and try one yesterday and it was delicious, though tough to get out of the shell. So – today we’re out there with the rake and the bucket. Looks like there’ll be several bucket fulls.
Hi Carolyn,
That is wonderful you have a yard full! They are, as you say, delicious, & quite the project for a long wintery night.
Best of luck shelling! :)
love,
Clay Ball