Black Walnuts for Health and Profit! > Cheryl J. Shenkle

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Black Walnuts for Health and Profit!

Cheryl J. Shenkle

November 2022

 

Ask any Pennsylvania elder who has had to forage for food or go hungry as a youngster, and you’ll uncover someone with a deep respect for the flavorful, gnarly fruits called American/Eastern Black Walnuts.  They are native only to Eastern United States and Southern Canada.

For nutritional and health value, Black Walnuts contain higher levels of antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids and other healthy compounds than English Walnuts.

Think of it, Black Walnuts are free, healthier, grow as natives in our area and are a potential source of a hefty future income. They are a renewable source not to be discredited!

I cringe when hearing of landowners who have had their Black Walnut trees cut down and hauled away in order to not have the nuts or leaves in their lawns.  Granted they are better suited to a meadow area, but their lumber commands some of the highest prices in the commercial market.  Line a path with walnut chips and it will stay clear for many seasons. It should not be used near gardens or planting beds because some plants are very sensitive to the allelopathic substance in Walnut trees called Juglone.  The area under a Walnut tree often stays well-cleared due to this effect.  Careful planting will make your trees a treasure rather than a problem.  Planted orchards can be an investment in the future if tended properly with large diameter straight logs valued at hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

The elderly gentleman who sold us our property came from a family life of farming and harvesting both commercial and wild foods till he left our area for a railroad job.  On retiring, he came back to the farm to live out his days.  As neighbors, my children and I listened to many of his stories about treasures to be found on this old farm, some acres of which by now had been turned into the housing sub-division where we lived.  From his descriptions of how they created their own electricity and collected their own water, to descriptions of the interesting employees who cared for the needs of the family and farm hands, everything was fascinating.  They figured out how to live off of their own land.  Unfortunately as time passed, and fewer hands were to be found, with family leaving the farm for jobs as happens today, the farm laid fallow for years but was eventually rented out to other farmers who cleared many of the trees in order to use machinery to harvest larger crops.  Most of the nut trees were lost in that time.

As George was reminiscing about long ago Christmases, he talked about one of his saddest memories.  For years he had trekked to now gone nut and fruit trees on the property.  He almost drooled when talking about cakes made with all kinds of nuts.  Black Walnut was his favorite, but he anticipated a Hickory Nut cake which his mother promised to make.  It was usual for friends and family to stop by unannounced for meals.  The more the merrier, and many times they came bearing foods of their own to share. 

He had picked a huge bucket of Hickory Nuts earlier to shell over a week’s time to get enough of the nut meat for a never before tasted, but smelled baking, Hickory Nut cake.  It was a dream smell!  Just as supper was set out, a family came with several members and the table was filled by the adult members of each family.  Kids ate in the second shift, and by that time the cake was gone!  The cake took three very well cleaned cups of Hickory Nuts which is quite a job which he never attempted again.

The kids and I decided to make him that specific cake as soon as the nuts fell, were collected and shelled with a brick.  It took months till it was all accomplished.  Everything the kids shelled had to be carefully picked over for shell fragments but we finally had enough.  The cake was delivered and devoured by the adults who came for dinner that evening, but this time George got his share!

Black Walnuts, including Hickory Nuts are our Pennsylvania history but most of that knowledge and appreciation has been lost.  In the current era of food and health worries, we have a treasure of healthy and delicious ingredients to add to our diets.  Although we have bounteous amounts of empty nutritional foods at cheap prices, easy to get, but of no real value to our bodies, begin planning to plant quality trees and shrubs on even a small property.  Every little bit of super nutritious foods helps, especially if it’s basically free.

If you have more questions on how to start growing your own food, please submit them to the Master Gardener Garden Hotline at 814-849-7361 Ext 508 and a call will be returned to you. We will also do presentations for any group making a request.  We look forward to suggestions for articles also.

Master Gardener Classes begin annually in early October, so if you have ever dreamed of spending time working in Horticulture with friends, this is your chance.

Certified Master Gardeners are local volunteers trained by Penn State to answer Horticulture questions with properly researched information. For a “best practices” answer to your question, call Penn State Jefferson County Extension to leave a message at 849-7361, Ext 508, e-mail cjs5618@psu.edu, or mail your question to 186 Main Street, Suite 3, Brookville, PA 15825. 

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.