A handful of hazelnuts.It's time to think about hazelnuts and filberts.
Hazelnuts,
if not picked while still on the tree (they may ripen as early as late August), should be harvested from the ground before squirrels and jays get them. Lay hulled shells in the sun or a warm, dry place. Crack a few to check kernels for dryness.
Dried nuts still in the shell will store for a couple of months in a cool place. Freeze kernels to store up to six months.
Harvest
walnuts
in September or October depending on variety and type. They are easy to gather on the ground. Wear rubber gloves to remove the hulls because bare hands will become stained. Rinse tannins off hulled nuts. Lay out in a warm attic or sunny room for two to four weeks. Kernels are dry when they snap off when bent.
Store nuts in the shell for up to four months in your cool basement or garage. Shelled nuts can be stored in the refrigerator for about four months, or in the freezer for six months or more.
-- Homes & Gardens staff
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