Acorn Harvest

The acorn crop has been prodigious across parts of New England. It is a mast year.  Our squirrels and chipmunks will have a fat winter.  I routinely curse the oaks:  crummy leaf color, late leaf drop, plagues of acorns, and sprouting oak seedlings everywhere each year.  This article gives more perspective.  I will curse softer, maybe less often.

Comments

[Manise]

My lawn has lots of acorns partially imbedded in it.

Fascinating link. Martha's Vineyard's Manuel F. Correllus State Forest has a 500 acre area suffering from sudden oak and pine death.

[Mel]

We just planted a red oak this fall. I'm actually looking forward to acorns one day. I've always wanted to harvest them to make acorn flour.

[kmkat]

No mast year here in n.w. Wisconsin. We have had them in the past, though. Thanks -- now I know what to call them.

[Caroline M]

I can't say that I've noticed many acorns this year, maybe I should have a good look today.

[gayle]

I miss the oaks of my childhood. Up here we have mostly maple and evergreens. My dad opines that our soil may not be deep enough for oaks, since it's mostly ledge.
Very interesting article. Makes me miss the oaks even more...

[margene]

That's an abundance of acorns. The poor trees across the country (and world?) are suffering ill effects. Thank goodness there are people willing to do what they can to save them.

[Carole]

We don't have oaks in our yard but lots and lots of maples. And that means lots and lots and LOTS of leaves.

[Paula]

I love acorns. What kind of oaks do you have? I'm sure there must be places on this property where I could let them grow and not curse them. If you send me a few choice acorns I will try.

[Kim]

I love acorns.......

[DebbieB]

THAT was fascinating. Thanks for the link - I read the entire article, and now know much more than I did when I got up this morning.

[Sylvia]

Just sent my dad the pdf article link. Love the painting from the 1400's!

[Chris]

My neighbor's oak always seems to produce a plentiful crop of acorns. I think the squirrels plant them in one of my gardens because I always have cute little oak seedlings there come spring. I pull them up and chuckle over their cuteness. The squirrels retaliate by throwing pine cones at me.

[Teyani]

I remember the oak trees of New England. And while I was/am quite allergic to them, I truly think they are lovely.
My grandmother used to predict harsh winters by the volume of acorns on the ground.... just sayin.... (keep those cross country skis waxed and ready perhaps?)

[Melissa G]

The children, especially the daughter, wish we had an oak to climb and build a tree house. I won't let them climb the cottonwood.

You may have seen the effect of pine beetle out here. Aside from killing the trees, those as yet unaffected/uninfested "super-cone" (my word for the proliferation of cones I see). Do they know? I hope that is not the case with the oaks.