Walnuts

Introduction

The journey a walnut makes from the tree to a dinner plate is an interesting journey. From the walnut tree to our plate, walnuts can travel hundreds of miles and must pass through several steps to get there. This blog post will discuss how walnuts are grown, harvested, and processed on their way to a dinner plate.

Growing Walnuts

Walnuts are predominately grown in temperate climates such as California, France, and Turkey. In the wild, walnuts grow on trees that range in height from 10 to 20 feet tall. Farming walnuts is a broad and complex process. To start, farmers must spend an incredible amount of effort on crop selection ensuring that only the best walnut trees are selected.

The average walnut tree takes 4-7 years before it can produce any fruit; however, once it does start producing, it will bear several dozen nuts annually for around15-25 years. During fruiting periods, the trees must be monitored for weather changes, irrigation, and pest control.

Harvesting Walnuts

Walnuts are ripe for harvest within a set period of time each year. Harvest time varies, but generally, the harvesting season begins in mid-August in California. During harvest, walnuts are handpicked from trees or, more recently, sometimes shaken from the tree with a special machine and collected from the ground.

Walnuts are then placed in burlap sacks and transported to a processing plant. It is important to be wary of the weather during harvest season because rain and wetness can damage the walnuts. After being processed, walnuts can weigh anywhere from 5-25 pounds per sack.

Cleanliness and Sorting

Once the walnuts have reached the processing plant, the first step is a rigorous cleaning process. The walnuts are washed in high-temperature water and air-dried. This helps eliminate the dirt, dust, and potential freeloaders from the walnuts.

The next step is to sort the walnuts by size and shape. This sorting process is often done by hand or machine. Generally, walnuts that are round and large in size fetch higher prices than those that are misshapen or small.

Grading and Packaging

The final step in processing walnuts is grading and packaging. The grading process involves weighing, checking the ripeness and size, and examining the walnuts for damaged or flawed pieces. The walnuts are then graded into 5-7 categories based on size, shape, and color.

The graded walnuts are packaged into various containers, such as bulk bags, cases, pails, or drums depending on customer preference. To protect both quality and safety, the packages are lined with one or more layers of plastic.

Transportation and Export

The packaged walnuts are transported to market via trucks, trains, ships, airplanes, and other modes of transportation depending on the customer's needs and budget. Additionally, walnuts that are to be exported must pass international inspection and certification from the Department of Agriculture.

Walnuts on a Dinner Plate

Once the walnuts have reached their destination, the journey is nearly complete. Depending on the recipe, an array of methods can be used to prepare walnuts for a delicious meal. Walnuts can be eaten raw, roasted, crushed into a butter, or crushed as a garnish.

In addition to being eaten straight, walnuts can also be baked into various pastries or added to salads or main dishes. Walnuts are a perfect addition to almost any meal. Whether they’re baked in a cake or sprinkled on top of a salad, walnuts are sure to add a tasty crunch and nutty flavor to any dish.

Conclusion

The journey a walnut takes from the tree to our dinner plate is a fascinating one. From its humble beginnings as a young tree to its eventual packaging and delivery, a series of intricately-arranged steps are necessary for the walnuts to become part of our dining experience. We cannot underestimate the importance of the walnut in our diet and its impact on our health and well-being. We owe a debt of gratitude to the farmers and workers who ensure that the walnuts we eat are of the highest quality.