"Bang!" it sounded like a gun went off in our neighborhood. I went outside to see and all was quiet. I went back to
work and it happened again, so I went out again to see what in the world was going on in our sleepy town. I walked out into the yard and stumbled over a patch of green golf ball-sized marbles as I tried to figure out what was the noise I had heard earlier.
Maybe you have been blessed with a walnut tree in your yard. When they fall on a metal roof it is a bit nerve-wracking, and when you try to walk through your backyard it is annoying to stumble over them everywhere, because they are...everywhere! It is dangerous to mow the grass with them on the ground...projectiles! They get mushy and smell awful, and you might think to yourself, "I wish I didn't have to deal with this tree in my yard."
You might be wondering if the walnuts you find in the yard are the same as the ones you buy in the store. Here's what I learned about the difference.
I found that this website had the best tree identification guide for black walnut trees. https://www.treehugger.com/how-to-identify-common-black-walnut-1341873
English walnuts are preferred by the food industry because they have an easier shell to crack and a more mild taste. But hey, the black walnuts were in my backyard so I decided to try harvesting them this year and see if it was worth it. I was delighted to find that the black walnut was worth the work!