Tuesday, October 14, 2008

What is that sound!?

Okay, so first a little backstory. When we moved here last year Brian's aunt asked if she could still come and pick some walnuts in the fall. We said sure. Last year I was so busy fixing up the house and going to college that I didn't even notice the walnut trees. Well, I did notice one Black Walnut tree hanging over the new horse pasture. Black walnut trees are poisonous to horses.
Here's a video a Brian pulling it down with the tractor. Our friend Ron is a professional tree trimmer so they had the job done in no time flat.



Anyway, this year the dogs developed a craving for the English walnuts that we have. Those are the ones you see in the nuts mixes. The dogs have gotten very good at cracking them with their jaws and getting the meats out, so I picked up a lot before Brian's aunt came, and a lot more since she was here. We've got this nice box almost full.

Then we noticed the black walnuts. Everrrrywhereee. There is a small half dead one out by the shop so when you're walking out to do chores in the morning it is a lot like trying to walk on marbles. Then there is a huge one in the front yard, right by the road. We've got a LOT of black walnuts already:
These...


these...


all of these...


and THIS!!



So anyway, today I woke up and wandered sleepily out to the front porch to let the dogs out. I fought the urge to duck and cover as I wondered - what the heck is that sound!? It sounded reminiscent of a machine run on some old time war money. I could barely see in the dark... guess what? It was raining walnuts.

Now my hubby and I have both struggled to keep the yard and road clear of these things, and we have done pretty good. Well, with the winds last night I would say there are at least twice as many more walnuts in the yard then we've got so far.





I was a little worried about the six cars that make up our morning traffic driving on all these things. It was making a big mess all over the road and I can just see someone suing us when a walnut flies up and dings their paint. So this morning I spent a little time outside, in the rain, sweeping the road. I'm still wondering if we should make a sign BEWARE: FALLING WALNUTS to protect ourselves. If someone had driven under that tree during some of the big gusts I think they would have some dings or a cracked windshield for sure.

Such are the joys of living on a farm.

2 comments:

Farmer's Daughter said...

My in laws have a black walnut tree in their yard. I have referred to it as the "tennis ball tree" because that's what they look like. It only produces the big green balls every other year, though.
They had a goat that died from eating the walnuts, so it's good you got rid of the one over the horses.

Crunchy Chicken said...

I wish I lived near you, I'd take some of those walnuts off your hands :)