Black walnut hulls

[kristenm1975]

Hello! I just went on a hike in an area that has a beautiful walnut grove. I was fortunate enough to bring home half a dozen green fruits that had fallen as well as the same number of blackened hulls with the nut removed already by local wildlife.

Does anyone have any tips on how to process this bounty? I love being able to create powerful medicine from plants collected on hikes. It's a combination of my two loves, hiking and herbs.

Thanks in advance for any tips.

 

[Blackbird]

Does anyone remember the surge of walnut shell related craft items? I can't tell you how many boxes of that crap we had. I think it was probably one of the least favorable things of the 70's.
Picture orange and yellow shag carpet, tan/brown/orange pattern sofas, and walnut shell art hanging on the walls, and that was our living room.. - in the early 90's! Granted we couldn't afford anything else and the walnut shells were there when we moved in..



Sorry.. I'm not helping!

 

[buttrcup6109]

I recently had the same experience from shucking pecans from the tree in my neighbors yard. I've tried all the stuff they say but nothing worked. So today, I decided to use peroxide and it worked. I took a pumice stone, bar soap and peroxide and scrubbed. I used a hard bristle toothbrush for the nails. At least it worked a little. They've gone from black to yellow! Fingers are a little sore from the scrubbing though, so take it easy. good luck.

 

[cabinguy]

Check this out you can use black walnuts to catch worms and fish

 

[freemotion]

I use two bricks to smash off the GREEN hulls. Put something over your clothes as the splashes will stain. Use rubber gloves...and your fingers will stain through the gloves!

I lined my dehydrator with waxed paper and dried the bits until crisp, then pulverized them in a food processor until powdered. Then I stored it in old-fashioned canning jars. I use it as a goat dewormer.

 

[dragonlaurel]

Thanks for the bricks idea. I was going to try to make a dye from a bunch that I'd gathered. Didn't realize how much moisture was still in them, so they went bad. Might be able to find some more.

 

[tortoise]

Just put the green hulls (or the entire things!) in a bucket of water and let it sit for a few months. It makes a lovely brown ink.

 

[dacjohns]

Hulls, husks, nuts, shells.

I think the hull and husk are the same thing. The green fleshy moist outer covering. It turns black as it "ripens" and can get maggots. Yuck.

It makes a good natural dye for fibers and as mentioned will stain your hands.

The shell is under the husk and protects the nut meat. It is very hard and thick. It pretty makes takes a sledge hammer to break it and then you chance pulverizing the nut meat.

The nut meat is delicious, a bit oily, and strong. Much stronger than English Walnuts.

If you only want the nut meat then you can put the walnuts in your driveway and driving over them can help remove the husks.

 

[Denim Deb]

You can also use it for a hair dye, just don't know the specifics.

 

[dragonlaurel]

You can also use it for a hair dye, just don't know the specifics.

It's in lots of shampoo/conditioners for dark hair. They also use sage and rosemary that way, but the walnut is probably a stronger/darker effect.