Sunday, September 12, 2010

Yeah, but have you ever seen a b-corn?

It's acorn season. And chestnut season. And walnut season. The newest of the nuts are beginning to fall from the trees. They're still mostly covered with their protective outer husks. Walnuts are round and smooth and green with little brown splotches on them. Chestnut husks are covered in sharp green spikes. But the acorns look like acorns. They're not hiding inside protective covers.

An acorn ripening on its tree out by the vines.

I've never heard of eating acorns. Early humans did. And apparently some cultures around the world still do, but not many. Have you ever eaten them? Not me. It's too bad, because they're out there and free. They're probably way more trouble to deal with than they're worth, otherwise more people would be eating them.

But they are a significant food source for wildlife, so it's good that the critters don't have to compete with humans for them. And besides, acorns are where little oak trees come from.
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8 comments:

  1. Leon Sims12 September, 2010 09:45

    I can tell its a little french acorn as it is wearing a crochet beret.

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  2. chm12 September, 2010 12:09

    Beautiful photo. 'Gland' is French for acorn and, trying not to be off colors, I wonder which one gave its name to the other.

    When I was a student at the Collège de Juilly 'les bons pères' used roasted acorn as a coffee substitute. For two reasons, I guess. First, it was cheap and, second, that beverage didn't have on students the same bad effect as coffee.

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  3. Starman12 September, 2010 12:47

    I haven't seen a real acorn since I was a kid.

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  4. Cubby12 September, 2010 14:41

    With as many oak trees as there are, I'd think there would be more acorns around, but I rarely see them.

    That's a confusing photo. I see the oak leaf on the left, but what are the other leaves?

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  5. Evelyn12 September, 2010 14:45

    We have lots of oak trees and the squirrels are busy burying acorns in my potted plants...grrr!

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  6. Suzanne12 September, 2010 17:37

    I always love the titles of your posts.

    We have lots of a and b corns in our yard and the squirrel population that accompanies them. The acorns are used for food. The b-corns are used for ammunition, much to the dogs' dismay.

    Those bushy tailed critters drop the nuts down from the branches of the oaks while the dogs wait at the base of the tree. Ouch, right onto their heads. ;)

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  7. wcs13 September, 2010 09:57

    leon, you're right!

    chm, did you drink the acorn coffee? What did you think of it?

    starman, where did you live as a kid?

    cubby, good eye! I think it's a wild rose that's reaching up to the lower branches of the oak.

    evelyn, our red squirrel(s) concentrate on our hazelnut trees.

    suzanne, that must be fun to watch!

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  8. Anonymous13 September, 2010 22:37

    looks like a little apple with a cap on

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