Ozarks Wild Harvest

A huge harvest of a wild crop is underway in My Corner of the Ozarks.  (I usually write about turkey hunting which is still important to me.)  But this time I'd like to point out the 25 million pounds of black walnuts that will be picked up by families, scout groups, church groups, retirees, and others and sold to the Hammons company from Stockton, Missouri. 

Our native black walnut grows wild in forests and towns all across the Ozarks.  According to their website, Hammons has been buying from the public since 1946.  They sell the packaged walnut nutmeat in grocery stores in 32 states.  The buying season began October 1 (same as the fall turkey season).  Folks haul their hand-picked "black gold" to one of 260 buying stations in 16 states.  We have three in our local area:  Willow Springs, Birch Tree, and Summersville.  

My dad has several black walnut trees in his back yard.  He has to pick them up in order to be able to mow his lawn.  So, he always bags them and sells them or gives them to someone else to sell.  This year's crop was smaller than usual.  And some nuts were smaller, possibly due to the dry summer we had. 

According to Hammons Products Company, 65 percent of the nation's black walnut production comes from Missouri. 

I love it when someone sees a demand, gets an idea, and has success with it.  Especially when a country family sells something to city folks. 

And that's how that wonderful black walnut flavor and crunch makes it into ice cream, sweet breads, and cakes all over the nation.