A nutty year!
By Fleur
@Fleura (29833)
United Kingdom
September 18, 2024 4:43am CST
There are quite a few hazel bushes around here, and baby ones are constantly springing up all over the garden because of the nuts buried by jays and grey squirrels. But in spite of that we hardly ever actually get any nuts these days because the grey squirrels (a very destructive invasive species) eat them all before they are even ripe.
But this year for some reason we did actually get some! A hazel has grown at the end of my vegetable plot and I let it grow, planning to coppice it in due course as a source of bean poles. And this year we got the bonus of a small basket full of nuts!
Fresh nuts are very different to the dried ones you buy in the shops. We used to regularly go nutting when I was a child, as did my mother and her mother before her. I don’t know why this year is a good year – there were too many for the squirrels to eat them all perhaps? Anyway I am glad to be able to participate in this age-long autumn activity again for a change!
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.
15 people like this
11 responses
@JudyEv (335364)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Sep
People here often erect bird netting over a favourite fruit tree. Orchards and vineyards cover acres of trees and vines to keep the birds out. Forgive my ignorance but what do you do with fresh hazel nuts? I gather they grow on bushes rather than trees.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (177351)
• United States
18 Sep
Hazelnuts are not that common in this country, and they are only grown in Oregon and Washington State. I didn't even know they grew on bushes until Anna mentioned it the other day. Speaking of squirels though, I found a hickory nut in my car the other day..and I sure didn't put it there. I must have had the sun roof open and one dropped it in.
, We have those trees around, but not nearly as many as oaks.
, We have those trees around, but not nearly as many as oaks.2 people like this
@rebelann (112387)
• El Paso, Texas
18 Sep
I wish hazel nut bushes could thrive here but the climate here is too arid and hot. If I were younger I'd move somewhere that had the right kind of climate to grow all kinds of trees and plants. Oh wait, when I was younger I had no inclination to grow anything 
1 person likes this
but I rarely bake now
@GardenGerty (159885)
• United States
19 Sep
I don't think I have ever seen one growing.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29833)
• United Kingdom
19 Sep
I was going to say that's because they are a European species, but according to Wikipedia they grow all around the northern hemisphere in temperate regions and there are a couple of American species. It depends what part of the country you live in I'm sure.
@RasmaSandra (78025)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Sep
Lucky you, I remember when I lived in Latvia we had a place where we could pick hazel nuts,
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (82009)
• United States
18 Sep
I've never had fresh nuts and only the dried ones you can buy in the store. Being able to get a basket of hazelnuts certainly was a treat for you. It's weird though, that the squirrels left them alone.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (171927)
• United States
19 Sep
I wonder if a bounty of nuts means a bad winter? I hope you have a good day.
1 person likes this
