The word temporary is my absolute favorite part. 😂 View quoted note →

Once dry.. bag them up. I store them until the shell starts to crack on its own at the crown (usually 3-6 months). Opening is fairly simple at that point. Trying to open before then is why folks grab the hammers. Hope this helps those interested. Don’t let all those black walnuts go to waste! Enjoy. View quoted note →

Once back in the container.. add water again. This time, any that float need to be tossed. Don’t keep them. One more run through with the auger and that’s it. View quoted note →

Nasty business. View quoted note →

The second go with the auger and it will look like a black sludge.. it’s time to dump them out (a wood line works best- it’s nasty business) and let them sit for a bit for the water to run off. You’ll need good pair of gloves for the next part, picking them all up and tossing them back in the container again. View quoted note →

Once they’ve soaked.. hit them with a paint auger until they begin to break apart (drill in reverse works best). Takes about 3-4 minutes. Leave them to soak again for a few hours and repeat. Twice through usually gets far enough along for the next steps. Careful not to splash yourself.. you just made a dark walnut stain (won’t store well but will stain boards, hands, and clothing quite beautifully). View quoted note →

Gonna document the process for folks that are interested. Find a bunch of black walnuts, put them in a large container. Let them go black (some say don’t, I say do). Once black (don’t wait too long- don’t want them going rancid), fill the container with water until the walnuts float. Let them soak overnight.

Moons are hard to photograph with any sort of justice to its awesomeness.. but that’s a good moon, right there. That gibbous mess is for the birds. Give me a crescent any day.

Official “was here” documentation.

It’s alive! (evil laugh). Happens that quick. View quoted note →

No point procrastinating. Yeast pitched (premier blanc). View quoted note →

Crush, press, drink (probably for a batch of hard cider).

Found a good place for a beer.

Best time of the year.

Crazy sky tonight. 😜

Gotta shake a tree. Money just growin on them.

Another lantern returned to work. This one is a 1949 Coleman 242c. 2.5hrs to get it to here. Love these things so much.

Pecan and stars

Honey Locust. Menacingly thorned but the animals love the pods it puts off.. so it stays.