Nut Wizard

The Nut Wizard

http://www.holtsnutwizard.biz/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/DSC00095.JPG.w560h420.jpg

I have recently written about growing oak trees and using acorns as food. I have also written in the past about chestnuts, hazelnuts/filberts, and walnuts. My only complaint with nut trees is actually having to harvest the nuts themselves. There have been a number of techniques developed to help harvest nuts, but I don't think I have come across anything as simple and effective as the Nut Wizard. I must be honest and state that I have never tried the Nut Wizard myself... yet. The moment I am able to harvest nuts on more than an occasional basis, then I will be buying one (or more). But when an icon in forest gardening, like Martin Crawford, endorses the Nut Wizard, then I have to believe it is a good product.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq4XcMNaixs

The Nut Wizard was invented by Cecil Holt who said that the idea for this nut collector came to him in a dream. He created it initially for pecans, but in a short time the Nut Wizard was being used for all types of nuts as well as other items like golf and tennis balls. There are a number of sizes available for the desired nut to be harvested.

You can order the Nut Wizard from Holt's website: http://www.holtsnutwizard.biz/  This is not a great website, but it is functional. I have also put links up to Amazon to make it easier:

• Nut Wizard - 11", Extra Small: Acorns (small) from most Oaks, or other nuts 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) to 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter.
• Nut Wizard - 12", Small: Pecans (small to large), Acorns from White Oak, or other nuts 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) to 1.5 inches (38 mm) in diameter, will also work for many crabapple varieties.
• Nut Wizard - 14", Medium: Pecans (very large), English Walnuts, Hazelnuts/Filberts, Acorns from Red Oak, Chestnut Oak, Hickory Nuts, Chestnuts, or other nuts 1 inch (25 mm) to 2 inches (50 mm) in diameter, will also work with medium-sized fruits.
• Nut Wizard - 17", Large: Black Walnuts, Sweet Gum Balls (ouch!), Apples, Citrus, Osage Orange, or other fruits and nuts 1.5 inches (38 mm) to 4 inches (100 mm) in diameter.

Martin Crawford on BBC Radio

Martin Crawford

http://zone5.org/wp-content/uploads/p8170054.jpg

Martin Crawford is one of the world leaders in Forest Garden design. He is the author of the book, Creating a Forest Garden.

From his Wikipedia Page:
Martin Crawford is Director of the Agroforestry Research Trust, a British charity which conducts research into temperate agroforestry.

Martin Crawford has spent over twenty years in organic agriculture and horticulture and is director of The Agroforestry Research Trust, a non-profit-making charity that researches into temperate agroforestry and all aspects of plant cropping and uses, with a focus on tree, shrub and perennial crops. It produces several publications and a quarterly journal, and sells plants and seeds from its forest gardens.

He has been on BBC Radio shows The Food Programme and Gardener's Question Time.

The Food Programme: Forest Gardens  http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b010xy3g

Gardener's Question Time: Forest Gardens: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014641y
(his interview occurs at about 31 minutes into the show)

Gardener's Question Time: Nut Trees: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017clwz
(his interview occurs at about 31 minutes into the show in this one as well)