Category Archives: Uncategorized

Gourmet Sugar-Coated Pecans– In Your Kitchen

Ever visit a gift shop and see the scrumptious-looking sugar-coated pecans and want to mimic them?  Especially after  you see their price tag?  Once you see how very simple it is to make this delicious treat, never again will you waste money buying them!

First and foremost, you’ll need a good cracker to ensure a perfectly cracked pecan for this recipe.  You can check out our low-priced, customer-favorited Inertia Nut Cracker.  You’ve likely seen these rubberband-powered nutcrackers before.  They bring a sense of nostalgia to the pecan cracking.  For a higher yield of nutcracking, check out our Electric Pecan Cracker.  And for commercial use and pecan buying points, be sure to see our full line of pecan crackers that can yield up to 200  lbs of pecans an hour.

Now on to the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 pound of pecan halves
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Set the oven to 250 degree and grease a baking sheet.
  2. In a bowl, whip together egg white and water until frothy appearance.  In separate bowl, mix together the salt, sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Add the pecan halves to the egg whites.  Stir to coat the nuts evenly.  Remove the pecans and toss them in the sugar mixture until fully coated.  Spread the pecans on the prepared baking sheet.
  4. Bake the pecans for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Enjoy!  Simple treat to use those perfectly-cracked pecans.

Until next time….

Please like & share:

The Nuts and Bolts of Macadamia Nuts

If you don’t know your nuts, then you may not know that there are nuts that are actually described as creamy.  Macadamia nuts are described as one of those creamy nuts and quite delicious it is.  Grown on tall trees– and often harvested straight from the tree– macadamia nuts are indigenous to Australia and are also known as Queensland nut, bush nut, maroochi nut, bauple nut and Hawaii nut.

Macadamia nuts require some effort– much like that of the black walnut but less so.  They are often plucked from trees in their green or black casing.  The key to successful macadamia nut-cracking is this: they must be dried out.  After picking from trees, these nuts need to be stored in cloth for weeks until the outer husk begins to crack (store securely to avoid critters).  Once this cracking begins to occur, the outer shell is easy to remove.  You are left with a smooth macadamia seed.

BlackWalnutCracker.com Macadamia nut cracking cracker

The green husk has to dry completely until it cracks. Then, the nut seed shown on the left is ready for cracking.

The hardest part is done.  Once you are down to the “seed” level, your macadamia nuts are ready to crack.  We recommend the Master Cracker or the Get Crackin’ for this job.  The Kenkel Cracker is another great choice.  For those of you with large quantities of macadamia nuts, definitely consider the Drill Cracker.  It will crack a 5 gallon bucket is 5-7 minutes.  All of these crackers are quality, American-made products.

Macadamia nuts have loads of healthy benefits and are great as a stand-alone snack or in a recipe such as fudge or cookies.  If you have any great recipes, forward them over to us and the best will be featured here.  Til next time!

855Sheller.com Nutcracker Nut Cracker Kenkel Drill Black Walnut Macadamia nut pecan cracking Blackwalnutcracker.com

So delish; so healthy!

 

 

Please like & share:

Maple Black Walnut Fudge

The rich flavor of fudge pairs deliciously with the winey, intense flavor of black walnuts.  Thanks to Mainecook61 with Food52.com for this scrumptious recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups maple syrup (Grade B preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted black walnuts

Step 1- Butter a loaf pan.  Combine but do not stir maple and corn syrups, cream and milk in deep pan.  Cook until mixture reaches 238 degrees (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer.

Step 2: Remove pan from heat and cool until lukewarm (able to touch bottom of pan easily).

Step 3: Beat or stir hardily the mixture until is thickens and loses shine.  Mixture will turn lighter.  This process may take up to 10 minutes.  Then, working fast before it hardens, beat in the vanilla and then the black walnuts.  Spoon the mixture into the butter loaf pan and smooth out.

Step 4: Cut fudge and allow to firm up.

ENJOY!

653dd4d2-b23c-4009-9ee7-3a4a5bc98884--IMAG0073

Please like & share:

Black Walnut Harvesting Video- Check it out!

Have some laughs and learn a lot about black walnuts and how they are a great survival food!  Check it out!

Please like & share:

Black Walnuts 101

Here in Dothan, Alabama, we find ourselves not only in the Bible Belt but also in pecan country.  Often pronounced “pee-cans”, these soft-shelled nuts play the starring roles in candies, pies, casseroles and more.  But in no less than 32 states, a nut of a whole different nature plays the lead and that nut is the black walnut.  The black walnut tree is the most fully utilized tree in America.  The tasty nut meat is a popular treat; the wood is used in many applications including furniture and gun stocks; the husks are utilized in making dyes; the shells– the toughest of any tree nut in the world– is used in a variety of industrial applications (including abrasive cleaning, water filtration and oil industry).  The black walnut tree is fully utilized much as the American Indian utilized every part of an animal– waste not, want not.

Harvesting black walnuts range anything from a hand collecting operation to nut rollers to pull-behind picker uppers and up.  The process can be messy as black walnuts secret juglone– a toxic substance (primarily to plants) that is hard to remove from hands, clothes and more.  The harvesting process is much easier with a tool designed to make the collection hands-off.  Our favorites listed in order of price: Holt’s Nut Wizard, Stab-A-Nut Black Walnut Harvester and Bag-A-Nut Black Walnut Harvester.

Will not wash off– but will fade in 1-2 weeks time.

Hand stains for Black Walnuts

After the collection process, two tasks are at hand: removing the husk and cracking the shell.  The husk is the outer-casing on the black walnut.  Make life easier and wait until this husk turns from green to black.  This also ensures that the walnut is dried out– which is the perfect state for cracking.  To remove the husks, you can do this manually– which gets messy.  Or you can employ a wide variety of tactics.  My favorites include– running over them with a car (likely not very effective for large quantities), placing them in a cement mixer with sand (very effective) and placing them in a wire cage and pressure washing them.  In areas of the country where black walnuts are prolific, there are processors that remove the husks. Drop me a line if you determine a faster or easier way.

bwpic

Removing the husks of black walnuts requires creativity but cracking them is a whole different task.  Again, we’ve heard of lots of creative ways to do this but please heed this advice.  Find a good black walnut cracker– and buy it.  A good cracker will last for many years and make this difficult task simple.  The shell of a black walnut is so hard that they are used for industrial applications!  That alone shows you how hard the shell is.  In the past, people have used methods including hammers.  Really, don’t.  This is asking for troubles!  We recommend the following crackers in order of price:  Steel Nutcracker II, Kenkel, Master Cracker and Drill Cracker.  Guess what?  All of them are quality-built, American-made crackers.

Thanks for following us through the journey of a black walnut primer.  Comment or jot us a line about your black walnut questions or advice.  We’d love to hear from you.

 

 

Please like & share:

I’m in Love!

Have you ever been so excited about a particular product that you just wanted everyone to know about it?  You find yourself stopping people on the street just to tell them about THIS product and how it can be a game changer for some portion of their life!  It is this way I feel about Bag-A-Nuts.  Ok, ok, I do understand that few people in life actually get passionate about nut harvesters.  However, if nut picking up is a reality in your life, then Bag-A-Nuts are something to get passionate over!  They really are THE solution is picking up ANY type of nuts– fast, easy and well.. actually, they are pretty fun to use!  What type of nut do you have?  Black walnuts?  English walnuts?  Pecans?  Acorns?  Hazelnuts/Filberts?  Chestnuts?  Almonds?  Hickory Nuts?  Macadamia nuts?  (Plus solutions for sweet gum balls, golf balls, tennis balls).  Bag-A-Nut has your nuts covered!

So how do they work?  After choosing WHAT unit you need based upon what nut you need to pick up and choosing WHICH size you need (8″, 12″, 18″ or 36″ Push or Pull-Behind), you quickly assemble the nut roller.  Trust me– they are super simple to put together.  Once assembled, simply push the Bag-A-Nut Harvester over the ground for nut collection.  Watch as the match fingers grab the nut and lodge it in the wheel.  As the wheel turns, the long black ejector fingers push the wedged nuts into the collection basket.  Once ready for emptying, simply lift the basket out (or in the case of the 12″ model, use a pull-cord system that saves your back!) and viola!  Dump the nuts into your preferred collection location and see your nut yield double from other nut harvesting methods.

"Bag-A-Nut

The fact that the Bag-A-Nuts are so effective in nut collection is reason enough to hop on board with one.  But wait!  There’s more!  Bag-A-Nuts are proudly made in the United States.  They are covered by a one-year warranty.  The manufacturers of Bag-A-Nut are committed to build a quality nut picker upper and provide top-notch customer service.

And that, folks, is why I’m in love with Bag-A-Nut Nut Harvesters.  So original, so easy to use, quality built– and much more!  Ready to add this harvest equipment to your arsenal?  Give us a call here at 855Sheller.com– it’s our website; it’s our number.  Let Amy or Kerry provide you with expert advice on what unit best fits your needs.  Call, order and fall in love!

Other Bag-A-Nut Lovers

Please like & share:

Take the Guess out of the Nut Game

Nut harvesting is serious business.  Whether you do it for pleasure, profit or peskiness (I’m taking to you, acorn people), customers seek products that get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Therefore, it is vital that you choose the correct nut picker upper.  My last post reviewed the various handheld nut pickers available at 855sheller.com.  In my next video, I’ve reviewed exactly why choosing the correct nut picker upper is vital to your nut picking up game.  Check it out:

If you are in doubt—have no fear.  Call us at 855-743-5537.  Please know the average size of the nut you are trying to pick up.  With this information, we can advise you on the best nut roller option.

Knowing your nut size is just as important for ordering the correct Bag-A-Nut.  We find this comes into play so often when harvesting black walnuts.  We sell three different size wheels for black walnuts—1 ½” to 2”, 2 ¼” to 3” and 3 ¼” to 4”.  These wheels are available in the lengths of 18”, 36” Push and 36” Pull Behind Bag-A-Nut.

To determine the correct Bag-A-Nut unit, measure your nuts and see what your average nut size is.  With this information, we can direct you to the best option for you.

When we say expert advice, we meant it.  We welcome customer calls and emails.

Please like & share:

Confused on Nut Picker Uppers? Watch this primer!

We get lots of calls at 855Sheller about nut picker uppers. Picking up nuts can be an unpleasant task– whether it is annoying acorns or delicious pecans that need cracking!  Nut Picker Uppers simply make the task easier and quicker.  Having trouble choosing the right picker upper?  We have two charts and a video to help you choose the correct one for your needs.  You can always call us at 855-Sheller (743-5537) for expert advice.  We look forward to making your nut season the best possible!

Nut Picker Upper Price Picks Up Pros Cons
Griffith Gatherer—Classic and Deluxe $21.95-25.95 Pecans Inexpensive, light-weight, two styles, easy to use Only picks up pecans
Southern Garden Tools Roller $49.95 Pecans, butternuts, English walnuts Collapsible handle, easy to use, larger basket, easy emptying Only one size
Holt’s Nut Wizard

(see chart below)

$58.95-64.95 All size nuts Made in the USA, comes in 5 different sizes, very sturdy Smaller collection basket, fixed handle
Stab-A-Nut $74.95 Two styles—one for smaller, one for larger New collapsible handle, easy nut release, two sizes for various sizes, add-on interchangeable head Highest price picker upper

 

Did you decide on a Nut Wizard?

Which Nut Wizard is Right for You?

Large Nut Wizard Medium Nut Wizard Small Nut Wizard Ex-Small Nut Wizard Mini Nut Wizard
1″ to 4″

» Black Walnuts

» Sweet Gumballs

» Apple and Pear Sized Fruit

» Magnolia Seed Heads

»Tennis Balls

3/4″ to 4″

»English Walnuts

»Chestnuts

»Red Oak

»Buckeye

»Large Pecans

»Shotgun Shells

»Golf Balls

1/2″ to 2″

»Most Acorns

»Pecans

»Hickory Nuts

»Bitternuts

»Mocker Nuts

»Hazelnuts/ Filbert Nuts

»Crab Apples

3/8″ to 1″

»Chinquapi (a.k.a. Pin)

»Beechnuts

»Brass Casings
(9 mm and up)

3/8″ to 1″

»Chinquapi (a.k.a. Pin)

»Beechnuts

»Brass Casings
(.22 and up)

See our Nut Picker Upper Explainer Video for even more info!
Happy Nut Season to all!

Please like & share:

Steel II Nutcracker

Are You Ready To Get Crackin’?

We ARE! 

Here at Southern Garden Tools, we eagerly await nut season every year! We are big fans of a little nutcracker aptly named 

Get Crackin’.


You can crack all nuts, big and small, with the Get Crackin’.  I tested out many different sizes of nuts here in the office. I had little acorns, pecans, and big walnuts. I didn’t have a problem cracking any of them. I just placed the nut in the groove, pulled the lever down, and had a nicely cracked nut. I did have to practice a little bit to get the proper placement of my nut down, but it didn’t take long before I was cracking away. I was even more thrilled when I realized that I didn’t need any nutpicks either!  I could gently pull the shell off of my nut and enjoy yummy nutmeat. If any nuts decided to be pesky and give me a problem, I just gave another quick pass through my trusty Get Crackin’. The lever-fulcrum action allows precision pressure control which minimizes shell shatter and increases the larger amounts of nutmeat you can enjoy from your trees.



Something else that I really love about the Get Crackin’  is that even though it is lightweight, it is built strong. It is made from a light weight steel, so picking it up to carry or store won’t strain you at all. Since Get Crackin’ is made with steel, it will not break easily. You will never have to worry about a nut being too hard shelled or too big for your nutcracker.The Get Crackin’ allows peace of mind that you won’t ever have to stop in the middle of cracking your nuts because it broke. This is a nutcracker that you can pass down for generations to come. How wonderful that you can enjoy the Get Crackin’ and as you show your children or grandchildren how to use it, you know that one day you can pass it down to them.

Speaking of future generations, I am so very pleased to say that you also don’t have to worry about little fingers accidentally getting cracked in the Get Crackin’. As a Mother myself, I worry about things like that. My sweet little ones always want to help out when it is nut cracking time. They know if they can help, they can enjoy the fruits of their labor even faster. The same design that allows the Get Crackin’ to protect those little nuts, like acorns and hazelnuts, from getting smashed also protects little fingers. That means so much to me and I know it will mean a lot to you as well. Now, you can share time with them and encourage healthy eating. That sounds like a total win to me!


Are you ready to have your very own Get Crackin’ Black Walnut Cracker shipped right to your front door? Check us out at www.blackwalnutcracker.com or www.gardenharvesters.com  Don’t let nut season sneak up on you!

Please like & share:

We are Nuts about Nut Picker Uppers and Nutcrackers!

Howdy ya’ll!  It’s a raining April day and I thought I would check in with our readers as it has been a while.  Nut season has passed us here in Alabama and we are taking a breather as we gear up for our other big sellers here– Pea Shellers.   I thought now would a good time to let you know what we sell because I think our products are not only pretty dang unique but also the best there is to be had in the nut business.

Our little company here– which just launched a new website 855Sheller.com— continues to sell nutcrackers and nut picker uppers all year long.  Some people like to buy in the off season because oftentimes, we are able to provide off-season discounts.  Although we live in pecan country, we sell crackers for pretty much any nut there is.  We sell the Duke Pecan Cracker, Inertia Nutcracker, Kenkel Cracker, Black Walnut Drill Cracker, Electric Pecan Cracker (also called the Kinetic Kracker), Dynamic Nutcracker, American-made Master Cracker, Get Crackin‘, second generation Steel Nutcracker II for soft and hard shell nuts.  I’ve linked these all so you can get a better idea of what this nutcracking guy is talking about.

But what’s the point of a nutcracker is you haven’t got anything to pick the nuts up with??  See- we have you covered there too!  We sell three different type of “handheld” nut pickers uppers.  The ever classic Griffith Gatherer and the updated Griffith Deluxe.  We sell Stab-A-Nuts by Bag-A-Nut (pecan/sweet gum ball size and acorn size).  And then our very best sellers in the handhelds– Nut Wizards.  If your needs run a big larger, we carry Bag-A-Nut Harvesters.  These are simply the best.  They range from the 8″ Mini all the way up to the 36″ that pulls behind your ATV, golf cart or riding lawn mower.  Whatever your nut gathering needs are, we gotcha covered!

So now you can say you know– cause that’s what the Nutcracker Guy sells.  Sells well too.  I always say I sell more cause I know more.  If you see somethin that peaks your fancy, call us up at 855-743-5537 and we’ll answer any question you might have.  You’ll be glad you called.  I’m not ignoring you nut fans.  I’m off to see about some of these pea shellers and well, if you need those, you can call me for that too.  Ya’ll take care.

 

Please like & share: