permaculture

[george & penny frazier <pinenut@primenet.com>]

Ely, Nevada, August 21, 1998
        .  Pickers bid on  8 of the 80 available  wilderness units open for
pinenut harvest today .A  total projected harvest of 89,000 lbs were bid
upon.  Although actual harvest usually greatly exceeds the poundage bid
upon..  The   revenues from the sale  will net the U. S. Government in
excess of $20,000. in this region alone..  
        A pinyon tree   reaches  seed producing maturity sometime between   50
and 75 years of age  These trees  can live for more than 600 years. 
Depending upon the species of pinyon, trees may produce between 9.1 kg
and 5 kg per tree,  with  fruiting or coning every 3 - 5 years.  The 
nuts contain all 20 amino acids and have 11.570 grams of protein per 100
grams of nut meat..  Using the most recent study data available, (1972,
Barger and Ffolliott) the potential protein yield from this sustainable
,wild resource, maybe very conservatively estimated at  90,000 lbs of
pure protien content. any given year.

        It is interesting to note that until recently little attention has 
been
paid to the food potential of  this tree. America  annually imports most
of its pinenuts from China, Turkey and Korea. Forest managers here have
considered pinyon an invasive weed,  bulldozing and chaining millions of
acres to produce grazing land for cattle.  Most recently, management
empahsis has been placed upon using these woodlands for fuel  in wood
and pellet stoves. Conservation of these trees for  thier nutiritional
value has not yet been identified as a land management goal.