Isn't it time some of the old country ways were taught in Mayo schools?
COUNTRYFILE
TWENTY minutes of work at the hazel hedge gave us something near a litre of nuts.
They aren't really quite ripe for picking, but one of these windy nights the lot will be thrown to the floor, at which they will be carried away by wood mice. If you want a harvest of hazelnuts, this is the time to be busy.
Most of those we gathered were still stuck fast in their green cocoons. A day or two drying in the kitchen will soon shrivel these away and the nuts will fall free without any further intervention on our part.
A word of advice – any that obstinately refuse to leave the cup in which it grows will be empty, so only keep those that drop out easily.
Further, any that fail to turn that lovely golden colour will be a waste of time and space. Be quick to throw out those that go grey or black.
Once the nuts look properly ripe, drop them in a bucket of water and give them a good swish around.
Any that remain floating on the surface can also be assumed empty and should be discarded.
The majority will sink, indicating there to be no empty space inside the shell.
Scoop these out, dry them well, and store them as they are. Do make sure they are properly dry though, or some will grow mould and ruin the rest.
It does seem a good year for many wild fruits. Perhaps you have heard someone say: "Look at all the red berries! There's a cold few weeks ahead, for sure."
Well, take courage. It's been another good growing season, that's all there is to it. The man that can accurately foretell the weather in the west of Ireland hasn't been born yet.
Still, while we are on the subject we should have a go. Low pressure areas to the northwest will keep drawing warm and consistently dry air up from northern Africa, giving us an exceptionally mild winter with only one cold week in the middle of January, just to kill off the bugs.
Yet if the doom-mongers are right we are in for a tough winter, one way or another. Everything is getting mighty expensive and we don't even know if the lights will stay on.
The very idea of being able to tuck in to food we gleaned from the countryside can tide us through the dark days that lie ahead.
Along with the nutritional value of the things we have stored, we have tales of where we went and memories of sunny times to keep us going.
We shouldn't overlook the food value of this nutty freebie. At 65% fat and 15% protein, 100 grams of hazelnut kernels can provide up to 600 calories, a substantial chunk of what we require each day.
And if we roast the kernels not only are they easier to digest, they become even more delicious.
September 14, a date revered by many in Christendom as Holy Cross Day, was once a traditional (though unofficial) school holiday, when children were given the chance to go gathering hazelnuts.
Isn't it about time some of these old country ways were brought back and taught in the schools?
Too many people are afraid of red berries, or of almost anything that grows in the hedgerow. Yes, there are some things out there that can be detrimental to human health. Yet there still remains a wealth of good to be found and enjoyed.
Remember Fionn Mac Cumhail and the salmon of knowledge? It was eating hazelnuts that gave the salmon of knowledge great wisdom.
And what greater wisdom could there be than learning how to survive?