Ah Nuts!

Chickie · 09-26-2009, 11:54 AM

In remembering childhood memories of autumns passed, my thoughts wander back to the fall ritual of gathering nuts from woodlands each year. Butternuts were readily available for harvesting around this time of the year, but breaking the code on how to free them from their tough shells was another story. I wondered how squirrels were able to do it without breaking a tooth. Did they have tiny hammers hidden away in their burrows per chance? Those nuts were certainly delicious and my mother used them in a special maple cake recipe.

My aunts in Gilford had hickory nut trees on their property and those were also a treasured delicacy. Although I have found butternuts in more recent times, I haven’t seen hickory nuts in years. Perhaps they have died out much like the chestnut trees did? I would be interest to know if there are still hickory nut trees in this area and if anyone harvests them besides the squirrels and other critters.

09-26-2009, 11:54 AM	#1
Chickie Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 371 Thanks: 0 Thanked 68 Times in 39 Posts	Ah Nuts! In remembering childhood memories of autumns passed, my thoughts wander back to the fall ritual of gathering nuts from woodlands each year. Butternuts were readily available for harvesting around this time of the year, but breaking the code on how to free them from their tough shells was another story. I wondered how squirrels were able to do it without breaking a tooth. Did they have tiny hammers hidden away in their burrows per chance? Those nuts were certainly delicious and my mother used them in a special maple cake recipe. My aunts in Gilford had hickory nut trees on their property and those were also a treasured delicacy. Although I have found butternuts in more recent times, I haven’t seen hickory nuts in years. Perhaps they have died out much like the chestnut trees did? I would be interest to know if there are still hickory nut trees in this area and if anyone harvests them besides the squirrels and other critters.