Look What We Found!

Today we discovered something new on our property.  Hazelnuts!  Harold was doing some tilling in the pasture, and when he walked back home, he discovered a different kind of large bush he had never seen before.   He brought a branch back to the house and we looked it up.  We have a hazelnut bush!  A quick research on the internet told us that these nut bushes can and do grow in Minnesota, as well as Wisconsin, northern Michigan, and especially in Oregon and Washington.   Other states can have them, too, but these are the most prominent growing areas.   These wild hazelnuts are definitely edible.  Harold says the bush is just loaded with these nuts.  The bush is about 8 feet high, and about 10 feet across.  However right now, it is surrounded with high Canadian thistles and tall grasses, so getting to it is not easy.  When it's time to harvest the nuts, we'll have to get rid of the thistles!  We have heard that a person should pick them at the green stage, but fully grown, and they will brown up when they dry.   Then when they are thoroughly dry, you can crack them and eat them just like the ones you buy at the store.   Or you can roast them (we'll have to do some research on that one)  Our neighbor has eaten these and says you must pick them before the worms get into them.   So we'll have to keep a close eye on these, and learn something new!
     Here is a view of the branch Harold brought in:

The Hazelnuts grow in clusters with a curly outer layer.

A close up view of the nuts inside.  They need to grow for a few more weeks, I think.

Anyway, I will have to keep you posted on how we did with picking and drying these nuts.   There is always something new to learn in nature.   And I am anxious to taste these wild nuts.

On another note, this is canning season again, and I bought several boxes of Mrs. Smitcamp's canning peaches, which come from Cutler CA.  These are wonderful peaches and I have very good results every year canning up these lovely peaches.   A couple years ago I did a blog article on how to ripen peaches.  In case you missed it, or can't find the post I wrote back then, here again is the method.   First you must lay the peaches on linen, stem side down, and not touching each other.  Then cover with more linens.   The peach grower who taught me this method says to use Damask linens because they have good "breathability".  Yes, don't laugh, he said!  Old time damask linens can be bought at flea markets and antique stores for very little cost (because nobody wants them anymore!).  After a few days, the peaches are perfectly ripened and ready to can up.   Most peaches come in the box fairly green, and this method always produces juicy peaches that can up nicely! 

I put my peaches under damask linens to ripen for a couple days.

The perfectly ripened peaches ready to can.  You want the peaches to be only slightly soft, as they will cook somewhat during the canning process.   Some of these peaches have a little green left to them, and I will do them the following day, picking only the yellow ripe ones for canning tomorrow. 

I bought 3 large boxes of peaches this year, as I had some quarts left from last year.   Tomorrow and Wednesday I will be busy canning peaches!   They are easy to can up, and I always enjoy the process.   And they taste SO good in the winter when the snow is a couple feet deep and it is 30 below zero outside!