Save the Black Walnut, Gourmet Food for Tree Herders

Hello!

I am Larry and my friend Chuck want to make better foods and do it in a way the environment is not harmed but actually enhanced. We have an opportunity to start a company that follows Treebeard's concern for forests and trees . Our company "Trae Hyrder" (LLC, Germantown, NY) collects the nuts and saps from trees and uses them to make food or food flavorings. We pay clients for the raw materials we harvest and in the process we help clear the forest floor of debris, dead wood and some underbrush making access easier. We believe, over time these operations result in natural paths that allow people to walk through the woods and enjoy the tranquility and love of natural things. By doing so the owners may be less likely to sell woodlots for development projects like shopping malls. To test this idea we are asking for support to purchase equipment to help us convert raw materials into food.

What equipment do we need?

We need a cold press and a screw press.

This is a picture of a cold press. It squeezes oil out of nuts.

This is a picture of a filter press. It cleans the oil.

What does a cold press and a screw press do?

A cold press is just that. It presses things like black walnuts and squeezes the oil out of them. Black walnut oil is a gourmet food flavoring sometimes enjoyed on vanilla ice cream. To produce high quality gourmet black walnut oil we need to remove any particulates from the cold press that can make the flavor go bad. We can remove particulates by using a screw press to filter the oil.

What are black walnut trees?

The black walnut tree (Juglans nigra is the scientific name) in our area were formally at the outer range of their habitat in our region. However, due to global warming issues black walnut tree sap has been identified by Cornell University as an important resource to be exploited for the benefit of our farming community. A group of us has been inspired by Professor Farrell’s work to begin the commercialization of this tree which heretofore has been thought of as a hardwood tree used for such things as gun stocks or if properly grown as high grade dimensional lumber or veneering material.The normal range for black walnut trees lies in the Ohio Valley and parts of Arkansas where it has been largely used as a high grade veneer product or air craft propellers and other hard wood uses. This tree also plays a very important role in sequestering carbon.

What is black walnut oil?

Black walnut oil is a gourmet food that has a strong nutty flavor.

Can't you just imagine the nuttiness of your favorite pie after adding a little Black Walnut Oil? Bake amazing chocolate, almond brownies with a touch of black walnut oil into the mix, too. Black walnut oil is perfect for frosting or candies. Add a few drops into salads, meat dishes, and stir fry. Just get creative!

What do we need from you?

Our goal is to raise $15,000 by October which is when the black walnuts will be ready for processing.

From both of us, Thank You for your interest and participation. May the wisdom of trees guide your hart.

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ”

― Franklin D. Roosevelt