When the hazelnut harvest season begins, there is a lot going on in forests, parks and gardens. The crunchy nuts are not only on the autumn menu for young and old. Furry forest dwellers such as squirrels and mice like to eat the nutritious nuts. This guide explains when and how to harvest hazelnuts correctly. Benefit from practical tips for the 2021 harvest season.
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When is harvest time 2021?
The exact harvest time also depends on various factors in 2021. In addition to the different varieties and the different harvest times associated with them, this also includes the weather. In recent years, drier and warmer summers have ensured that the hazelnut harvest is also shifting forward. However, it can be roughly said that the harvest time for hazelnuts is between September and October.
In 2018, at the end of January, the hazel blossom opened spring a whopping 22 days earlier than we know it from the walnut tree. The year 2019 provided convincing evidence that 2018 was not an outlier year, but demonstrated the normal case. Hazelnut trees and bushes blossomed again in the midst of winter. This pleases the first bees, bumblebees and other insects immensely. At the same time, this circumstance pushed the start of the 2019 harvest season by a whole month to August.
In 2020, the hazel flowered around January 20th, a little earlier than in previous years.
The year 2021 started with winter ups and downs. Cold and snowy days alternate with rainy and warmer days. As a result, the hazel is somewhat inhibited in flowering in many places, so that this year we could assume the normal start date for the harvest is September.
equipment for harvesting
On your autumn hikes in the woods or on patrols in the garden, practical equipment should be at hand in case you discover ripe hazelnuts. Are you planning a large-scale harvest to store the crunchy yield? Then useful utensils will save you the hassle of bending over. The following list sums up what makes it easier to harvest hazelnuts in small and large quantities:
- Nutcracker tongs, ideally with rubberized handles
- Basket, bucket or linen bag for taking it indoors
- Net, foil or discarded curtains to catch shaken off nuts
The ingenious harvest helper scooter promises a particularly back-friendly harvest. A galvanized, round wire basket is attached to the telescopic handle, which you roll across the floor. As if by magic, hazelnuts accumulate in the basket. Leaves and twigs remain. For reloading into the transport container for storage, the integrated emptying handle is opened manually without you having to bend your back.
Harvest hazelnuts on time
As a result of the climate caprioles, a look at the calendar only gives a rough indication of the beginning of the harvest season. In order to determine the perfect date, please keep an eye out for these signs in the forest, park and garden on hazel bushes and trees:
- Treetops and bushes are full of brown hazelnuts
- There are numerous nuts under the trees
- Even the slightest shaking of a tree or bush causes hordes of nuts to fall to the ground
If you are forced to pull hazelnuts from a branch, you have unmistakable proof that harvest time has not yet begun. As long as a hazel does not give up its fruit voluntarily, the ripening process is not complete.
Identify ripe, storable hazelnuts
A premature harvest is primarily at the expense of shelf life. If a hazelnut still has green spots, the fruit is perfectly suitable for consumption. In contrast to the vast majority of other fruits in field and forest, a partial green color does not affect the crunchy enjoyment and wholesomeness of hazelnuts. If you have nutcracker tongs with you, you can feast on the first hazelnuts of the season right on the spot.
Specimens harvested for storage should be completely brown inside and out. In the immature stage there is a high risk of mold growth during storage. The same applies to nuts with a damaged shell. Fungal spores penetrate through cracks, crevices or traces of rodent feeding and spoil the appetite for aromatic hazelnuts. Specimens with drilled holes in the shell should not be eaten or stored freshly from the harvest. The voracious larvae of the hazelnut borer, which are up to mischief in the core, unmask themselves with this image of damage.
Drying surplus crops – this is how it works
After harvesting, intact hazelnuts are perfect for long-term storage of up to twelve months. By drying the nuts, a reliable shelf life is guaranteed.
How to proceed correctly:
- Spread the hazelnuts with their shells intact on a plate
- Alternatively, fill the hazel harvest into a cotton sack, basket or similar air-permeable storage container
- Place or hang in a dry, warm, airy place
- Turn or shake every 2 to 3 days for even drying
After four to six weeks, the process is complete. There are two proven options for storing dried hazelnuts. Hanging in a disused, clean onion or potato sack in the air-dried attic or in the boiler room, the pithy fruits are always within reach and invite you to enjoy a healthy snack. Clever housewives freeze hazelnut kernels ready-made as a baking ingredient. First, pit the nuts with a nutcracker. Then you grind the kernels in a mill, weigh them and fill the yield into freezer bags in portions. In this form, hazelnuts do not take up much space in the freezer and can be used to bake cakes and cookies without spending a lot of time.
Roasted hazelnuts develop an appetizing aroma and are preserved for up to twelve months. The following instructions explain two tried-and-tested methods with tips for storage:
materialbedarf
- Nutcracker
- key
- pan or baking sheet
- spatula
- Clean cloth or kitchen towel
- Airtight sealable container for storage
Roasting in the pan – instructions
Crack the shell with the nutcracker and collect the nut kernels in a bowl. Then fill the pan with a layer of hazelnuts without adding fat. Place the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Roast the nuts for the next seven to ten minutes, turning them regularly with the spatula. To cool, remove the roasted kernels from the pan and place them side by side on a wire rack or kitchen towel.
Roasting in the oven – instructions
The oven promises a practical way to preserve hazelnuts. In preparation, the inedible shell is removed from each nut with a cracker. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the seeds from sticking while roasting. Spread the shelled hazelnuts evenly and side by side on the baking sheet. Please preheat the oven to 150 degrees top and bottom heat. Slide the tray with the nuts into the middle rail. For a nice all-round browning, please turn the hazelnuts at least once with the spatula. After 10 to 15 minutes, take out the baking tray and let the roasted seeds cool down.
skin and store
The very thin skin between the nut and the shell is healthy and can be eaten without hesitation. However, hazelnut friends often complain about a bitter aftertaste. You can easily remove the skin by wrapping the roasted kernels in a kitchen towel and rubbing them with both hands.
Hazelnuts not intended for direct consumption should first cool down completely. The best solution for long-term storage of the best quality is an airtight Tupperware container or a screw-top jar. Always store roasted hazelnuts in a cool, dark place for months of shelf life.
Share crops with squirrels
Nature lovers leave hazelnuts that are damaged or otherwise unsuitable for storage in the forest, park and garden. For many furry forest dwellers, the nutritious nuts are an indispensable source of food during the winter. Since they do not hibernate, squirrels are primarily dependent on supplies during the cold season. The rodents cleverly set up numerous stockpiles of nuts of all kinds in order to use them in winter. Of course, overzealous hazelnut collectors throw a spanner in the works if they don’t leave any nuts for the cute rodents. In combination with a severe winter, the squirrels are threatened with starvation. In an emergency, animal lovers share their own supply of nuts with the nimble climbers and set up feeding stations in the garden with hazelnuts,
