Black Walnuts: Big Taste, Small Footprint

In a time when water usage, chemicals, GMOs, and other issues are impacting agriculture from every side, it’s comforting to return to a natural food that’s grown the same way for hundred’s – perhaps thousands – of years. The wild American Black Walnuts.

Water conservation and the surprisingly massive water foodprint of our foods are issues grabbing today’s headlines. With ongoing droughts in food-producing areas such as California, many growers are forced to tap into groundwater supplies, which are at all-time dangerously low levels.

Although the images can be startling and the future unclear, one thing is dependable. Black Walnuts continue to grow wild – without irrigation, orchards, or chemicals. The only water consumed comes from the natural rainfall provided by Mother Nature. Unlike regular walnuts and other commercially grown nuts, wild Black Walnuts are hand-harvested by locals who collect them from fields and forests across the Midwest.

Rainfall amounts do have some impact on the crop, according to Brian Hammons, President of Hammons Products Company, the primary source for Black Walnuts. “However, Black Walnuts are an alternate bearing crop. So the yield always fluctuates from one year to the next. We buy more from our harvesters in the larger years to ensure a consistent supply.”

Enjoy the full-flavored taste in this Wild Harvest Energy Mix with a harvest of power-boosting ingredients including black walnuts, shaved coconut, dried cranberries, blueberries, and cherries. Or savor the flavor in baked goods, ice cream, salads, entrees and more.

Wild Harvest Energy Mix

Ingredients:

4 cups dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, and blueberries)

1 cup coconut, flaked or shaved

2 cups Hammons Black Walnuts, toasted

Directions:

To toast black walnuts, spread evenly on a baking sheet. Toast in 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

Combine dried fruit, coconut, and toasted black walnuts. Store in airtight container for freshness.

Note: When enjoying black walnuts in an uncooked recipe, it’s suggested to toast them to bring out the richest, best flavor.

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