Nuts
Over twenty years ago I planted two walnut trees. Walnut being a hard wood is a real slow grower. After all these years the one surviving tree is probably twenty feet tall.
Being the sister tree died years ago this tree doesn't have a good local pollinator near by so it has never bore any fruit. Yes, nuts are fruit.
The tree is in one of our pastures and it provides some shade for the horses. I noticed some tansy in the pasture so I went in to pull it and right near the plant was a golf ball sized green orb on the ground. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the only nut I'd ever gotten from this tree. There was a little husk fly damage to the husk, but I got it in time. How a husk fly found this one nut is beyond me.
I took the nut inside and carefully curt off the husk. Beneath was a beautiful walnut shell that darkened as it dried. I'm going to leave it dry for a few days and then I'll see what is inside. Somehow I doubt it will be as good as I hope, but I'll give the tree credit for a good try regardless of the outcome.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 4:00 AM
7 Comments:
Small miracles - everywhere.
We just have to keep our eyes open.
If I lived closer I would sneak into your pasture and leave a coconut under your walnut tree just for fun.
We have over 40 walnut trees that are loaded with nuts again this year. Unfortunatly, we also have THOUSANDS of grey diggers that eat every last one, every year.
I shoot a couple hundred of the little bastards every year which is a spit in the ocean.
Our office is on a former walnut orchard. Still quite a few trees on the property. Most of the trees are loaded with the green husks that will soon fall to ground. If you wait long enough, the green husks will actually decay and all that is left is the walnut. I think I picked a couple gallons of walnuts off the ground last year.
Beth, for that tree it was a big miracle.
Darev, remember it's in a pasture and you are afraid of horses.
Gearhead, Good thing you don't rely on that as a crop.
g, free walnuts are the best.
More fun to play with your nuts than to store them...
Fine. I'll construct a trebuchet and practice flinging coconuts into your pasture. Tell those stupid horses to stay out of my way!
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