storing walnut hulls

[DNICK]

It's that time of year again the walnuts are droping off the trees, Iv'e used the hulls to dye clothes ect. my question is how can I store the hulls for later use? can I just knock the hulls off the walnuts dry them, grind them up and keep them for later use or is it better to cook up the dye and freeze it.

 

[necchi]

can I just knock the hulls off the walnuts dry them, grind them up and keep them for later use

I've just left'm whole, in a burlap sack. Cooked up just fine that following spring.

or is it better to cook up the dye and freeze it.

When I cook a batch, it's a big batch. I'll strain it a couple times and render a big stock pot (4 1/2gals) down to about 2 gallons then "can it" HOT in quart mason jars like makin jelly.
Stuff has kept just fine for two years now. Once a jug is opened it's gotta live in the Fridge or the slimy mold comes.

That drying and Grinding idea you have should work just fine too, you can buy "Powdered" husks just for making die.
I just never went through that nuch work.

 

[GunnyGene]

Dried either in big pieces or coarse ground. If you have one of those kitchen Foodsaver machines they are good for vacuum bag storage. The vacuum will suck out any moisture that might cause mold.

 

[Rick Son]

Soon as i get my RED walnuts,tommorrow,3 buckets,i'll post a pic,it's the meat that is RED,can the meat be used as anything?I love walnuts,but a break out everytime i eat them.My farmer friend has been workin on these walnuts for some time and got a good batch this year.The look realy red,i call the blood walnuts,there is no way i will use much of them.i believe they will all have the hull also.
Just wondering if the meat was any good for something beside eatin.

 

[DNICK]

as far as I know just the hulls can be used iv'e never heard of using the meat of the nut for anything but eating. I came back to town tonight and the squirrles had been in the back of the truck ware I had 3 five gallon buckets of walnuts they took about half a bucket into the street shelled them and took the nuts

 

[Loyalist Dave]

OK so I gathered up two buckets of the walnuts. These were old buckets with rusty bottoms, and small holes, so they wouldn't fill with water as the walnuts sat within them, out back awaiting the dye bath, and the walnuts would dry as the forecast was for no rain for several days...,

When I went outside to grab them to make dye..., four days after gathering, only about 1/4 were left. WHAT THE HECK? :shocked2:

So I put most of them into a box, and into the shed (should've done that in the first place), and watched the buckets which now only had 'bout three walnuts each...., then along came a gray squirrel, who helped himself to one of the walnuts and scampered off. He and his friends made several trips to the buckets, and finished off what was left of the nuts. Mystery solved.

So DON'T leave them outside, uncovered.

LD

 

[David W.]

:rotf: I had a big pile of walnuts outside the back door once. I went out to smoke a cigarette right next to them. Mr. Squirrel trotted over, picked up a walnut, then came over in front of me, put the walnut down at my feet, barked at me, picked it back up and scampered off. :cursing: :surrender:

 

[necchi]

There's a flip side to all that thievery,
I was digging around in a forgotten corner of an old storage shed one year and FOUND enough husked walnut to FILL a 5 gallon bucket,
:hmm:

 

[DNICK]

well ya luckey dog you got all the good stuff with none of the work or stained hands, Iv'e got a lot of hulls drying and a shirt in the dye now but as long as there droping I think I will go pick up several more buckets and dry them for future use