Missouri Black Walnut harvest season is here

The beginning of October brings the start of black walnut harvest season in Missouri. Black walnuts are one of the few wild harvested foods native to the United States.

The black walnut tree grows naturally in the U.S., and Missouri is the center of the species’ population.

Today, black walnuts are gathered as an American tradition by families and communities in fields, parks, woods and backyards. This tree nut has a long intertwining history from soil to humans. The Native Americans used black walnut meat as a food source, while the walnut husks were used for medicine and dyes for hundreds of years.

Today, black walnuts are used in baking, snacks, specialty flour and oil, along with a variety of other uses. Black walnuts have more than 7 grams of protein per serving, more than any other tree nut, and is an excellent source of healthy fats and vitamins.

As we welcome cooler temperatures and fall marks our calendars, black walnuts begin to fall.

The tradition of collecting these nuts begins. Harvesting and hulling stations all over Missouri provide a way for families to carry on this much loved tradition providing food and a sense of community.

For more information on black walnuts in Missouri, click here!