How to Harvest Black Walnuts

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Black walnuts in a person's hand — *Walnut in its hull (left) and with the hull removed (right)*

Every fall, do you wonder where those ugly green balls in the road or your yard come from?

If you look up (do so carefully, falling walnuts hurt!), you will probably find a black walnut tree.

Black walnut trees are valued for their lumber, but did you know they also produce tasty nuts that can be enjoyed raw, on oatmeal, or in brownies or fudge?

We have quite a few wild black walnut trees on our farm in southwestern Michigan. Harvesting the nuts is a fun activity that we do as a family every year. It doesn’t take too much work or any fancy equipment- give it a try!

Identifying a Black Walnut Tree

When it comes to foraging, it is always better to be safe than sorry. It’s important to be sure of what you are taking from the wild. I have a plant identification book that I use, as well as the PlantNet app on my phone.

Black walnut trees have gray, textured bark and pointed leaves that grow around a common stem. Their fruits (walnuts) feature a fleshy, green hull that surrounds a hard, corrugated shell with a palmated nut inside.

Materials Needed for Harvesting Black Walnuts

Steps for Harvesting Black Walnuts

Find a black walnut tree
Put on gloves
Collect walnuts
Remove the hulls- use a hammer, crow bar, or your hands (beware of staining!)

Girl using crow bar on black walnut hulls

Put hulled walnuts into a 5 gallon bucket
Add enough water to cover the walnuts
Agitate with a drill-powered paint mixer for 2 minutes

Boy using a power drill with paint attachment to mix walnuts and water

Dispose of the water (don’t pour on your grass- it will kill it!)
Repeat steps #6-8 until the nuts are completely clean and no hull remnants remain
Spread in a single layer in a slotted crate