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#209579 - 10/13/10 04:53 AM Harvesting pine nuts
dweste Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/16/08
Posts: 2463
Loc: Central California
Anybody know how and where to try harvesting pine nuts in central or northern California?

Are species other than pinyon pine worth harvesting?

Thoughts?

Thanks.

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#209581 - 10/13/10 05:17 AM Re: Harvesting pine nuts [Re: dweste]
Richlacal Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 02/11/10
Posts: 778
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
There is a Fellow Woodsman here in L.A. by the name of Chris Nyerges,He specializes in Wild Foods thru-out the west,& Was a Friend of Eull Gibbons,Remember him?Grape Nuts commercial-"Ever ate a Pinetree?,Many parts are edible!"Google-Christopher Nyerges,I'll bet he could answer your question for pinion nuts,He has a school/classes for wild edibles! Good Luck!

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#209611 - 10/13/10 07:14 PM Re: Harvesting pine nuts [Re: dweste]
dweste Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/16/08
Posts: 2463
Loc: Central California
Went on one of Mr. Nyerges' plant walks a couple years ago. seemed a good guy, we had a good time, many edible and useful plants and fungus identified - some eaten in a salad, also gathered California buckwheat and extended with wheat flower made cakes roasted over fire. Did fire-starting, also did some weaving, braiding, and a touch of basketimaking. We kept pretty busy!

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#209612 - 10/13/10 07:22 PM Re: Harvesting pine nuts [Re: dweste]
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
WHERE tends to depend on elevation more than anything, usually around 7,000 ft, but their range is between 6,000 and 8,500 ft.

All the pine seeds are edible, the difference being the size of the most useful ones (effort vs. amount of food value).

In central California, the common variety is Pinus Edulis, but I think they're mostly over on the east (dry) side of the Sierras and and a SE corner of SoCal, and around the Great Basin. The Pinyon should be fairly easy to spot if you're in their area, as they tend to grow in pure stands or mixed with juniper.

Sue

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#209625 - 10/13/10 10:05 PM Re: Harvesting pine nuts [Re: Susan]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Pinus edulis produces great nuts, wonderful to eat. The problem is that they are readily harvestible in a very short window, IIRC, about a month long period during the fall (right now they should be abundant on the Colorado plateau). The rest of the year Pinus edulis is just a pretty tree. You are going to be competing with many other critters to bring in the harvest. I recall fondly one fall in Mesa Verde when I sought out and ate every pinyon nut I could find. The effort to collect and crack the nuts kept my waistline from expanding.


Edited by hikermor (10/13/10 10:06 PM)
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

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#209708 - 10/15/10 11:49 AM Re: Harvesting pine nuts [Re: dweste]
sybert777 Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 300
Loc: 62208
My biggest problem with pine nuts, is... where I could find them on the cone! Under each "scale" there should be 2 at the very back, and remember, use the unused portoin in your fireplace, they burn nice and hot!

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