To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] First Buartnut crop
Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2006 16:23:35 -0500
After 12 years I have my first buartnut crop, maybe 3-4 bushel from 3
trees that are cropping. These are seedling buartnuts from Bear
Creek & based on the huge variety of shapes & sizes of the nuts, I
would say these are in pretty early stages of selection. Or will
there always be a huge variation with the nuts? I'm also wondering
if the fact that I have black walnuts in the area effects the shape
nuts or would that only express itself in the following generation?
I'm also looking for any clues about husking them. I use an old hand
corn sheller for black walnuts but these are smaller & it's not quite
so effective. The shells are also much funkier to crack than regular
walnuts, not breaking on the seams. How long to dry them before the
nuts are good to eat?
I'll also select out the best nuts for size & heartnut shape to grow
out. I wonder if there is anything else that I can visually select for?