How to open a hazel nut with your knife.

[Bushwhacker]

This is an old country method to open up a hazel nut with a small pocket knife. It sure as hell saves your teeth.

Here's your nut.

Removed from the husk.

The end of the nut which sticks out from the husk is the end you want to work on.
Scrape the end of with your knife. Bear in mind I had to hold a camera with one hand, you should be using two hands.

Scraping will reveal a small split in the nut shell. It doesn't show up too good in the pic.

Insert your knife point and work it in. DON'T DO IT ON YOUR LEG THIS IS JUST FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES.

Give it a twist and you'll split the nut.

There it is.

 

[mountainm]

Great article

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I'll give it a go if I'm lucky enough to find a hazelnut this year......that must be a relatively new S.A.K. you've still got the tooth pick & tweezers

 

[delbach]

An old farmer taught me this about 30-35 years ago, when he found me smashing some nuts to a pulp with a big rock
Andrew

 

[calibanzwei]

I'll give it a go if I'm lucky enough to find a hazelnut this year.

This time of year?! Squirrels 'n Jays have had a 2 month head start
There are some near me, heavily browned - several shrubs in the middle of a new build estate in the centre of town - AND THEY'RE MINE, ALL MINE. DO YOU HEAR ME?!

 

[Bushwhacker]

This time of year?! Squirrels 'n Jays have had a 2 month head start
There are some near me, heavily browned - several shrubs in the middle of a new build estate in the centre of town - AND THEY'RE MINE, ALL MINE. DO YOU HEAR ME?!

There's loads of hazel round these parts and I've had trouble locating nuts due to the tree rats. I hit paydirt yesterday though.

 

[Toddy]

Thank you

The nuts here seem to be barren
I'm so tempted to grow a hazel hedge in hopes that I might get a decent crop.

cheers,
M

 

[mrcharly]

Excellent. now I want to see you do a tutorial for opening macadamia nuts.

 

[ged]

The nuts here seem to be barren
I'm so tempted to grow a hazel hedge in hopes that I might get a decent crop.

I'd recommend cuttings from a prolific tree. Not the easiest but very doable. Had one in Oxfordshire twenty years ago that was absolutely loaded most years. Strictly speaking it was my neighbour's tree but there were plenty for both of us and most of the neighbours too. Still regret not taking cuttings from it when I left, the ones I have now aren't a patch on it and the few we do get are mostly taken by the squirrels despite me and the dogs lying in wait for the little blighters. Next time I get down there I'm going to drop in and ask.

 

[Toddy]

See if you do ? Would you try and cadge a cutting for me too ?
I'll happily find something as a thank you for the fellow and your trouble

I need to do some reading; are they self fertile or do we need a wee grove of them to produce a good crop ?

cheers,
M

 

[ged]

... Would you try and cadge a cutting for me too ? ...

Will do. I'll be making sure that there are enough to get something growing.

I need to do some reading; are they self fertile or do we need a wee grove of them to produce a good crop ?

They aren't self fertile but fortunately there are a lot of them about. Groves are good.

 

[yomperalex]

Cool, anything that helps save the old teeth has got to be good. Thanks

Alex