Below, you'll find steps on how to prepare a variety of nuts in Virginia.
Acorns: We will take cleaned, bagged, quality acorns. To prepare:
- Collect acorns and separate from twigs, leaves, and other debris.
- Cover them in a container of water for five minutes. Throw away the ones that float.
- Remove acorns from water and dry with a towel, or allow to air dry.
- When fully dry, place acorns in a one-gallon Ziploc-type baggie and freeze. Keep frozen until you can deliver them to the Wildlife Center.
NOTE: Acorn quality quickly deteriorates, molds and rots if collected and left in buckets/bags where they get wet or hot.
Black Walnuts: We can take husked walnuts only.
- Collect black walnuts.
- Soak nuts in container of water for up to one week until the green or brown husk loosens and can be removed by hand.
- An alternative method is to fill a wheelbarrow full of walnuts with water. Let soak, and every few days, jiggle the wheelbarrow back and forth to agitate the husks off. Use multiple changes of water.
- Spread the husked nuts on a flat surface and allow them to fully dry in sun for a few days. Then deliver to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
NOTE: Black Walnuts do not need to be frozen prior to delivery.
Hickories: We’ll take clean hickory nuts.
- Collect hickories and separate from twigs, leaves, and other debris.
- Deliver to the Wildlife Center
NOTE: Hickory quality quickly deteriorates, molds and rots if collected and left in buckets/bags where they get wet or hot. Hickories do not need to be frozen prior to delivery.
Thanks for your help!