The FASTEST way to crack acorns

[@FeralForaging]

I'm excited to announce that Part 3 has been released! You can watch it here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6WvpYWnjKaYbdE

[@malackfortar]

I'm a productivity and automation (business process management) specialist. The iterations you just performed are part of the analysis for productivity. In essence this is called BATCH PROCESSING, or the BATCH PROCESS METHOD. Perform all like tasks first then move onto the next batch and repeat. For example, block 30mins and listen and reply to all voice mail. or block 30 mins and read and delete/delegate/answer all email. While doing these tasks you block all interruptions. Turn off your notifications, turn off your bells, turn off your ringer, turn off your messages and pop ups. FOCUS IS THE KEY. Then move onto the next batch and repeat. Cheers!

[@PBWK]

My family found acorns in the park the other day and brought over a ton (for Korean acorn jelly). They were giving me heart palpitations and having me screaming as they were using dangerous methods to crack them. Thank you for this video and being a like person of testing, comparing, and practicing safety! Tonight I am playing drill sergeant and ordering them to watch this video.

[@rionmoonandroid]

“I’m gonna fold the towel over so none of them gets away.” As one immediately rolls away! Lol.😅😂

[@RisingDad]

I can't believe this only has 2327 views. This is one of the best videos I've ever seen on KZbin.

[@FeralForaging]

So excited with how this video turned out! What do you think of the new format? Can't wait to start leaching! We're so close to having acorn bread now! :D

[@RunNGunHunt]

Incredible, Great video! Well organized, clear and concise!

[@FeralForaging]

@@RunNGunHunt I'm glad you think so. Thanks for the feedback!

[@majermike]

best one I've seen! a few things you could have added some depth/clarity to: doesn't cracking method 1 eliminate the need for separation? also seems like cracking method 4 would produce more meat fragmentation. was wondering these while I was watching.

[@ghosttimm420]

I just started watching Feral Foraging and I must say, I have a “foraging edible plants/ ID toxic plants” book and I’ve literally been writing notes in that book from watching your channel like from your Wild Lettuce video! Great job 👍

[@amyjohoffrichter7562]

I love the way you do this sorry of thing and simplify it for the rest of us. Thank you so big!

[@sonofabear]

I'll try this method in the fall! I love your feral foraging sign, i need one for my logo.

[@FeralForaging]

Let me know how it goes and thanks! Shoot me a message if you'd like me to get you in touch with the person who made mine.

[@abittwisted]

Time for part III. It is harvest time and I'm sure many are waiting for part III. Good job on your first two videos on acorns.

[@FeralForaging]

Indeed. Life got a bit busy, but has calmed down! The outline is done, so now just time for the script, and editing!

[@orange5718]

I had no idea acorn bread was even a thing and now I'm invested

[@FeralForaging]

Stay tuned! We're getting closer to the point of having processed acorn flour. :D

[@amymoriyama6616]

I'm just finding your channel and absolutely loving it. Clear, to the point, high-quality videos. I expect your channel to grow. The big question is, where is the next video part? I can't wait to see it. I have absolutely loads of oak trees all around my area and I could totally make use of them. I've always put it off due to the leeching part seeming so difficult.

[@FeralForaging]

Amy, thank you for your kind words! The next video has been recorded and is waiting to be edited. I am hoping to have it done before acorn season kicks off this year!

[@mattw4547]

Really wish I would've watched this before cracking allll day yesterday...😮tha KS for the good video

[@digitalis-y9h]

Very useful video. I've been doing some research so I can collect and process acorns coming autumn and this is very informative, thanks!

[@jordisr3122]

Hello Jessie, I wanted to congratulate you and thank you for making your videos so informative and of such high quality. Your videos have helped me a lot with foraging and identifying plants here in Guatemala where in the mountains we have many of the same plants as the Southern US, but there is no information about it anywhere else.

[@FeralForaging]

Jordi, wow thanks for those words! I really appreciate it and I'm so glad to hear that my videos are having this positive impact. Keep foraging! Feel free to send cool Guatemala plants to my Instagram! :D

[@TheCardiak]

I process maybe 20 pounds of acorns each year. It’s time consuming for sure. Tried this method, had so many tiny little shell pieces in the finished product. You must be milling a good amount of shell with your nut as the finished product

[@CricketsBay]

Ca you describe the best method you've found to crack acorns. It will probably help a lot of people.

[@mariecurran9365]

Im loving it so far.

[@FeralForaging]

Glad you like it!

[@Alieombaba]

The towel folded over is my fave way! Just need a towel dont mind ripping up a bit 😅

[@SeattlePioneer]

I collected acorns and processed them through making, as I recall, pancakes. That was fine, and I would do it again if famine was causing me to starve! But it was burdensome enough that I haven't repeated that. Your methods suggest that I ought to try that again---- thank you! I collected some acorns this fall, and have been doling them out, one by one, to the squirrels. I'm going to watch your other videos though. I'm guessing you have more efficient methods to collect acorns than bending over to pick them up a few at a time. (Even I can imagine that a grass rake and a square point shovel would be a big improvement!)

[@lilacmoonbeam2988]

I found your channel through this series! I love your logo and it's awesome that you reply to your commenters! By checking the comments I saw that about 6 days ago you said you're working on editing part 3 right now. 😀 I missed this season but I'm looking forward to next season and I'm glad to know I can hand crack acorns pretty easily without a mechanical nutcracker! It's making me wonder if I could do that with a sledgehammer and walnuts.

[@FeralForaging]

Yes, being able to crack acorns efficiently was always a barrier to me using this food more. Now that’s not a problem! Where are you in the world? In the Southeast it’s still harvesting time. I know in the NE when it freezes it means there can sometimes be a light Spring season!

[@lilacmoonbeam2988]

@@FeralForaging I'm in the Southeast actually. The spots I have access to have probably just been picked over in that case. That gives me some more hope! I'm in the process of contacting my local trail to see if they allow foraging so hopefully if they say yes I can find some walnut and oak trees that haven't been touched!

[@FeralForaging]

A couple great acorn foraging places near me are actually parks or large parking lots. The acorns are sooo easy to pick up because they're just laying in a short bed of grass! That's where I got the acorns from video 1.

[@lokeyacolyte2145]

Loving this series so far! How many acorns do you find it takes to yield a good amount of flour?

[@FeralForaging]

It really depends on the species! For a medium sized acorn, probably 50-60 acorns yields enough flour for 2-3 loaves of bread. Those are some rough estimates.

[@lokeyacolyte2145]

@@FeralForaging that is incredibly helpful, thank you!

[@maryenglund912]

It is almost 100° and here I am on Labor Day weekend in my yard harvesting acorns. They are already quite dried out since we are in a drought. If I do a careful visual inspection, is it really necessary to put them in water to see which ones sink, so then I can move onto drying them out? I have seen almost 0 bad ones in the first 3 gallons that I’ve picked up. I’m very tempted to skip the water inspection and move right on to the next step. This is my first time seeing your videos and I absolutely love your approach to doing things efficiently. Thanks! Mary.

[@CricketsBay]

Yes! Always do the float method for acorns. Spoiled ones float and there can be bug holes you don't see.

[@MrMaxKeane]

Is this one of the possible routes that you are recommending: 1) Harvest acorns *2) Dry them out 3) Crack open 4) Separate the meat from husks using water 5) Then process them and use them Could I forgo (2) and just: harvest them, crack them, use water to separate husks, process and cook them ??? It seems like such a waste of time to dry them if you intend to use them immediately. Am I right in thinking that the main reason for drying them at the start is just to help with long-term storage?

[@CricketsBay]

No. Drying the acorns in the shell makes the shell much easier to crack.

[@MrMaxKeane]

@@CricketsBay appreciate the reply :)

[@NicolesNaturals]

Did you dry those first before cracking? I just foraged acorns for the first time in my life today and they do NOT want to come out of the shells very easy. Lots of work! I'm still learning thanks!

[@FeralForaging]

100% I always dry before cracking! I covered drying for preservation in video 1. Yes, you will find your job much much easier after!

[@NicolesNaturals]

@@FeralForaging Wow, thank you for getting back to me so quickly! I just watched part 1 AFTER part 2 (my stupid fault). Anyway I have a dehydrator. I saw in the other video that you said you should dry them for a week? Did you mean a week in the dehydrator? That's a long time! Did I hear you right? Thank you!

[@FeralForaging]

It depends on the temp. That's about how long it took me at a low temp. You'll know when they're done by testing them!

[@NicolesNaturals]

@@FeralForaging Ok thank you!

[@vcmay626]

Very informative.

[@FeralForaging]

Glad it was helpful!

[@YouMockMe]

Saw both, pretty good vids

[@FeralForaging]

Thanks!

[@fairyhope5062]

It's a smart idea but it's the weevils that get in the way. I don't prefer to make flour out of larvae- so I'm not sure how to both separate and inspect acorns quickly.

[@kurtsassenfeld9850]

I wonder what would happen if you soaked the whole acorns overnight or even for another day with calcium hydroxide (cal) added to the water like they do to nixtamilize corn??

[@FeralForaging]

What you are describing is called typically called “chemical leaching”! In this case with lime. I’m not we’ll versed in using like for leaching, but it definitely is done! In Samuel Thayer’s book, “Natures Garden” he details the method.

[@jimcasselman6160]

You haven't shown the part where you sort all the worm infested acorns. 🙂 In the south about every other one has a worm in it. A little protein in your flour won't kill ya! Hahaha

[@FeralForaging]

You have to watch Part 3! :D

[@morninglynn6281]

We use them to feed our animals ❤

[@johnruckman2320]

You could have used a wire sieve to screen off the shells. Especially, as you say, when you're doing larger amounts.

[@daniellecarson3016]

Great video! I’m curious, why is it necessary to dehydrate them if they are going to be leached anyways? Why wouldn’t it be better to dehydrate after leaching whole nuts?

[@FeralForaging]

For cracking. If not dried cracking is extremely tedious!

[@quercus_opuntia]

Would u reccommend buying the davebilt nutcracker or just use this method?

[@nicolausisco]

How do you deal with the paper part on the nuts. Do you leave it on? Bur Oak acorns don't have that. But those have many small black dots....

[@dougskinner7666]

Before I saw this, I had already cracked some and took the meat out begore dehydrating. Can I just go ahead and put in dehydrator along with the unshelled ones?

[@raquelthomas8385]

Can you recommend a good foraging field guide?

[@majermike]

sam thayer f yea dude!

[@jonnsmith556]

When's the bread recipe can't wait!

[@FeralForaging]

I am working on it! Before the big part of acorn season this year I hope. :D

[@jonnsmith556]

@@FeralForaging sweet thanks

[@gvi341984]

Separation of the shells is the biggest issue in large scale without the use of water.

[@FeralForaging]

Yep! It was awesome how much it sped up the process even at a smaller scale. I can't wait to use it with a larger harvest. :D

[@gvi341984]

@@FeralForaging Also picking the up in scale.

[@FeralForaging]

I’ve never gotten faster results than a simple tarp and a bunch of acorns in grass! :)

[@PeterAnderson-qo9rk]

I’m on the foraging stage. All of the acorn I find in my area are much smaller. Are they still safe to eat

[@FeralForaging]

All acorns are safe to consume once they have been leached! The only concern with smaller ones is just that they take a lot more work.

[@keithedgar9786]

What about removing the testa (thin paper like covering on nut meat), seems that none of the methods you showed went into that. Is that not a concern?

[@robertasmith7780]

Please turn on the captions for the Deaf/hard of hearing community. Thank you

[@anamnesiser]

Can't you just blend the whole acorns up in water and then pour off the floating husks?