When you think of California’s fall harvest season, grapes may be the first thing that comes to mind. But there’s another important event taking place whose fruits you’ll reap long before you taste the first drop of wine: the annual walnut harvest.

During the 2007 harvest, which ran from September to October, approximately 320,000 short tons of walnuts were expected to be harvested. The nuts are available to processors as soon as 48 hours after they’re picked. Much of the early batch is shipped in-shell to Europe, but you should see shelled walnuts from the 2008 harvest in your store in late-October and November. 

The Harvest 

Health & Walnuts 

The Harvest
(click on photos to enlarge)

Walnuts have been cultivated for more than a thousand years. Today, although machines have made harvesting easier, it’s still a labor-intensive process. The growing season begins in April. By late August, the walnuts have ripened, and their green hulls start to split, indicating they’re ready to be picked.

  
The orchard is “swept” to clear it of rocks and other debris. Then a mechanical shaker comes through, grabs the tree trunk with its large claw (left) and shakes the tree for several seconds so the ripe walnuts fall to the ground (right).

 
They’re then blown into rows (left), where they’re collected by a harvester (right). The walnuts are cleaned, hulled and air-dried before being sent to a processing plant for shelling, packaging and shipping.

California supplies 99 percent of the walnuts in the U.S. and two-thirds of those worldwide. Forty percent of the walnuts shipped outside the U.S. are in-shell. Americans prefer their walnuts shelled, however—only 6 percent remain in the shell.

Health & Walnuts

Walnuts are a good source of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also rich in antioxidants, which are thought to help fight off diabetes, cancer and heart disease. You can take advantage of these benefits by eating just a handful of walnuts a day. Fit them into your diet with these tasty suggestions:

APPETIZER Stuff dates with mixture of Gorgonzola and cream cheese; top with a walnut half.

ENTREE Sprinkle finely chopped toasted walnuts over a partially baked crust and top with the egg mixture for quiche.

PASTA Add chopped walnuts to a cream sauce and toss with fresh pasta.

BREAKFAST Stir finely chopped walnuts, apples and dried dates into hot cooked oatmeal.

SIDE DISH Mash 1 to 2 cooked and peeled sweet potatoes with cooked and peeled white potatoes. Stir in chopped toasted walnuts.

SIDE DISH Toss cooked green beans with walnut oil and finely chopped toasted walnuts.

SALAD Toss mixed greens with shredded fennel, diced apples and toasted walnuts. Top with a vinaigrette made from 1 part red wine vinegar, 3 parts walnut oil, 1 minced garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.

DESSERT Top ice cream with a drizzle of maple syrup; sprinkle with chopped walnuts.