Saturday, November 17, 2018

Picking Acorns

Eaton Rapids Joe wants acorns from a water oak tree, and I happen to have one inn my front yard.  This morning is pretty, so after the dew lifted, I went outside to see if I could find a few acorns.  Yep, they're everywhere.  So, I got down on all fours and started picking acorns out of the grass.  After just a little while I decided that it was better to get down on my belly ad pick everything in a small area, then scoot over a foot and do it again.

So, anyway, I'm laying on my belly under that tree, sifting little tiny acorns out of the grass, and I hear someone holler at me from the road.  "Are you okay?"

"Yep", I reply, "I'm fine."  I get up off my belly, and dust off.  "I'm collecting acorns for a friend"

This guy is a neighbor, lives down the road, and he thought I had had a stroke or something.  So, I explained to him that Michigan needs acorns from a water oak tree.  We visited for a few minutes ad he went on with his morning, and I went on collecting acorns.  In another half-hour, vertigo had gotten the best of me, so I decided to call a halt for the time being.


Three pounds of water oak acorns fills just about half of a gallon zipper bag.  In case anyone needs to know that.  I don't know how many acorns are in that bag, ad   I may finish filling the bag, or I may not, or I may press grandkids into service when the come over this week.

Send me an address, Joe.  You have my email..  In another few days, those acorns will be on the way.

5 comments:

Judy said...

The bag looks like it has condensation building up, so you might want to lay those acorns out on a sheet pan or screen to air dry.

Eaton Rapids Joe said...

They run 400 to the pound, give or take.

Damp is good.

Water Oak, Quercus nigra, acorns are spread by flood waters. They are used to swimming. Water Oak acorns are exceptionally resistant to rot. There were a couple of deer killed by lightening in Louisiana in early June that were still feeding heavily on sound, Water Oak acorns.

I can only imagine how many days over 70 those acorns have seen by June.

https://www.qdma.com/red-oaks-important-deer-nutrition/

That is a big part of the attraction of Water Oak. The deer keep coming back to eat more of the tiny acorns because they can never slurp them all up. The acorns don't sprout quickly or rot. The acorns are very high in fats and oils.

Judy said...

Joe, that's good to know about those acorns not rotting. My knowledge of seed saving says don't let anything stay damp.

Pawpaw said...

I agree with you Judy. I have them drying in a cardboard box in the garage.

Old NFO said...

So, Joe's going to be hunting over 'bait' in a few years... LOL