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Home My WebLink AboutOctober 23, 2003 - They're nuts about autumn October 23, 2003 • The Suffolk Time � e re n us a ou au umn , � �� . - , �, ,��. ��; ��,; ,u WE HAVE A I�il('KORY tl'ee T'lght OUt- ,ry�4�qr ' ° " � � � r side our bedroom window.It's almost r „��, r � , � � rur ,,,�n�uP� � become a companion,as we see it � ` every morning when we get up.By ��' `� �i� ,,, � „ ,�,� now,the leaves have turned from their > ,�� rx � summer green to fall yellow.The next �� '"`�� „,, stage will be the sealing off of the area ��` ��`� �� u where the leaf joins the twig; then the , ,,, � ;�r� � leaf will separate and fall to the � � "'" "�' � �,` � . ground. � ' �^� � �,, `� The trees around the house are "' ' u� mostly hickory ' �"�°' - ��,�,��u,a �� , � and occasionally � ' �� ; � � � F'�CLJ$ we have to cut � ON one down for " . , �, one reason or I � '��°" ,''"�� " N A'1�U RE another.When ;i ' � ��" �� ,, N,,, ,„ , •�- by Paul we do,we cut ' __.. �, the wood about �� Stoutenburgh � � t�. 16 111C}12S I011g t0 Iri��,f;r- . � ,, � ��u�cnlwr{�h fit the wood These black walnuts have been cracked and removed from their shells. stove.When we try to split that piece Because of their special flavor it's well worth taking the time and effort to oC l�ickory we run up against a open these nuts, for inside is delicious meat that can be used in time-honored fo�•midable opponent.It defies split- black-walnut recipes. ting,which makes it an excellent wood for tool handles,wagon wheels,skis, for years,until eating thc hickoT-y nuts,but by the chair backs,baskets,etc.We have bccn rot eventually � time I break them open I've mashed told it was the best American wood takes over and The� WaS a thc shell into the meat,making it fc�r making barrel hoops.On top of they come time when impossible to separate,so I just give this it has an excellent rating for burn- �]o�,n, eVery farm up. I know some people use hickory ing,which we can vouch for from Lately wc'vc family had its ��uls and the meat is very delicious,but using it in our wood stove. been waking I'm going to leave my nuts to the Another characteristic of the hicko- up to the blaek walnut squirrels.Proof of their delight is our ry tree,which we found out 47 years dropping of tree at the lawn and walkway,which are covered ago when we were building our house, nutshells from baek door.' �'�th the bits of hickory shells and is that it has a long taproot.The bull- the squirrels husks. dozer that came in to clear a spot for �nj�ying the Another tree we have on the prop- the house had one devilish time trying hickory nuts in the trees up ovcr the erty is the black walnut.There was a to push out the hickory stumps house.It's like a gentle rain falling.It time when every farm family had its because of their tap roots,which keep starts as soon as it gets light outside. black walnut tree at the back door. them from going over in the strongest All that debris from the broken shells Today it's pretty hard to find them. of winds.Many times the tops of the makes pretty rough walking around One reason is that their wood became hickorics will twist ancl hreak,but still the place.How these squirrels can bitc so valuable people actually sold their han�on,anci sta u in the trec,dead into thosc hard nuts and get the meat black walnut trees.I remember when I out is be ond mc.We've often Cricd was teaching in Greenport,I looked out the window one da and saw a big, beautiful black walnut tree come crashing down next to the school yard. Chainsaws worked over the tree like it was some giant spider being disman- tled.The only thing that was taken along our highways start to show their away was the bolt from ground level red color.They are used as plantings up l0 feet,where the branches started. along the expressway and,of course, Some outfit had come from down many people have them in their yards. South to scout the area and find the They get redder and redder as the black walnut trees.Once they found cool weather creeps in. I'll bet every one they would approach thc owner one of you knows where one of these and negotiate a blazing bushes can be seen and,if sale.To me that you're like me,you look forward to would be like sell- secing it each fall.Let's hope it's the ing your grand- onc in our own back yard we're talk- mother. ing about. What they did A colorful fall with these 10-foot nuts.If I don't get them soon it will vine that's now sections was send only be a matter of time before the starting to turn its them overseas, squirrels find them. grcen leaves to where they would It seems every community has its ycllow is the bit- be used as venecr special tree that people watch for in t�rsweet,which for high-priced the fall when the leaves turn yellow ��»��thers any- i'�u-niture.That and red and crimson.Usually it's a thing it can dimb. day in Greenport maple tree.I know the one in It's now showing I wcnt over and Mattituck,by the Presbyterian church its yellow berries. askcd if I could just as you make the big bend,that �� skin will havc a piece ol dazzles so man with its brilliant col- burst open in thc black walnut. ors each fall. In upstate New York it's time and reveal Thcy had no a common thing to see the bright fall dazzling red- objection to that, colors—sometimes wllole mountain- orange fruit.Thc as the remaindcr sicies are ablaze in color.But we have berries make of the tree was 1�, he content with our occasional ��d bird food only going to bc s��<�ts of red and gold. ciuring the winter used far firewoc��1. We have a large maple out along months,which is Just recently I thc pasture fence but it never turns to �ne of the prob- gave that piecc of �l�c bright reds of fall.It just turns yel- lems we have, black walnut that low and the leaves drift over into the with bitterswect. must be 30 years pasture,where the cows seem to enjoy ��=berries are old by now to a them. ingested by birds, noted wood carv- About this timc the burning bushes passed through er in Peconic to crcate a beautii�ul their systems, piece of sculpture.There were otl�er then dropped off smaller pieces that 1 remember cutting with their own lit- and smelling.There's a distinct odor to tle packages oi' the wood as you cut it. fertilizer almost anywhere.So we find Tl�e black walnut has a large nut bittersweet taking over anything it can that's relatively easy to get into.The find to climb,even in your back yard. problem is you have to get the husk It's one of the true invaders.We off and that's kind of a messy job. shouldn't encourage it though,far Some people put the green nuts in once it starts it's hard to eradicate. thcir driveway and drive over them. Bittersweet is picked and used in win- Eventually the husks will come off. ter bouquets and adds much color. Others use high-pressure water that However,the trouble comes when blows the husks off;still others leave people are finished with their bouquet them to weather.(This works until the and toss it in their yard or compost squirrels find them.)The black walnut and the seeds germinate—then they was a common tree in the early years have a problem with an invader.So of this country and much furniture was made from it.It's a beautiful wood to work with.Our black walnut trce down in the pasturc has lost all its leaves by now as wcll as its big green