Everyone agrees that it's an amazingly good year for acorns. This is an oak on the top bit of the car boot field at Needham Market (when the site wasn't full of people selling) and the ground is absolutely covered.
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The early morning Farming programme on Radio 4 last week had a bit about Pannage in the New Forest, which I knew I'd written about a while back. Thanks to the post search feature I found it - I'd repeated it just last year. I love what an amazingly old system it is. HERE is a bit from wiki about the Agister which is an official, dating from medieval times, looking after the people who have rights of pannage.
Pannage is an ancient practice that is still used today by commoners and verderers who turn out their pigs into the Forest during the season. The pannage season, usually between September to December, lasts around 60 days. This year's season (this would have been the year I first posted this info) will run between 13 September to 14 November. Pigs do a vital job of eating many of the acorns that fall at this time of year. Green acorns are tasty for them, but poisonous for the ponies and cattle that roam the area freely.
I found this rhyme about pigs eating acorns out of season....
Though good store of acorns the porkling do fat
Not taken in season may perish of that,
If pig do start rattling and choking in throat
Thou loosest thy porkling - a pig to a groat!
Not taken in season may perish of that,
If pig do start rattling and choking in throat
Thou loosest thy porkling - a pig to a groat!
Acorns can be turned into flour - but it's quite a long process as they are toxic unless properly prepared, shelling is the start and that's enough to put me off, then there is leaching out the tannins, drying, grinding, drying.
There's a website HERE if you want to see how, I'll stick to buying a bag of flour from a supermarket!
During the war they were used as a substitute for coffee often called an ersatz coffee, especially in occupied countries where coffee completely vanished from the shops. There's a youtube video below or HERE. which makes it look quite simple.
When I did the Following a Tree posts last year I had photos of the oaks up the lane all through the year but there weren't as many acorns as this year and I never looked in the Cecily Mary Barker Flower Fairy book to see if there was an Oak Tree Fairy - there isn't, but in the Autumn Fairy section I found an Acorn Fairy and his song.
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Apparently it's a good year for fruit harvests all over; our local gardening centre is clean out of preserving items, they can't refill the shelves quickly enough.
ReplyDeleteI have had an excellent cherry, apple, and raspberry season, even though there were hardly any insects and birds in my backyard.
Lovely to have all that fruit to use.
DeleteYep, grey squirrels are very active burying their acorn stashes. There'll be baby oaks growing next two years in the most inaccessible places. I have one inside a rose bush and can't get rid of it. grr!
ReplyDeleteI would keep the oak and get rid of the rose!
DeleteThe berries on trees and shrubs are also quite plentiful and stunning this year and what an abundance on mushrooms and toadstools everywhere especially of people's lawns. One house we passed yesterday had a lawn covered in the large spectacular red and white fairy mushrooms.
ReplyDeleteI've got a few random fungi popping up here and there - nothing I would want to try and eat
DeleteThose flower fairy illustrations never fail the please me.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
I'm working my way through having the pictures from the books on the blog - they help to fill a post!
DeleteNow the pigs are out for pannage, people out exercising their horses will have a good few frights as most horses detest pigs and spin on their heels, to hurtle in the opposite direction! The key, for the rider, is to stay with them . . .
ReplyDeleteWhat with being frightened by pigs and getting poisoned from eating acorns I think I'd take my horses somewhere else for a month or two!
DeleteIt's a good year generally for nuts. The squirrels won't starve this winter.
ReplyDeleteRaccoons come and rake the grass under the oaks outside my livingroom window to get the acorns. They do a fine job!
ReplyDeleteHello.
ReplyDeleteI like your blog.
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I had no idea that pigs ate acorns.
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels are doing a good job on my property, but they do leave the acorn outer shell which leaves a mess on the asphalt driveway. Every couple of days, I use the leaf blower to clear the driveway.
Recently, I got a mailing advertising goats to eliminate brush. The ad says they bring 4-8 goats and enclose them in temporary fencing to rid property of brush. The goats are moved to wherever there is unwanted brush. I have no brush for removal, but I rather like the goat brush removal aproach.
I never thought of acorns as anything more than future oak trees and wonderful crafty bits (I love a bunch in a vase!). And definitely a good thing for squirrels! I never knew about the pigs! Fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI kind of remember reading about the pigs taking care of the fallen acorns on your blog. We have two small oaks close to us and I need to go and see if I can find any acorns on the ground. I usually try to bring a few home every year.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
We are having a bumper crop here as well. Google 'mast year for seeding'. It was fascinating to me. The deer are enjoying our acorns!
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine had numerous ponies out in the New Forrest. The traditions surrounding NF are fascinating. Her ponies were 'wild', they'd come to her when she called them, but she purposely kept them wild. Her most beautiful two year old pony was killed by a speeding driver, which broke her heart. She took her ponies off the Forrest very soon after that. The thought of it happening again was just too much. Finally, after all sorts of excuses and denials, the driver was convicted, and she campaigned for surveillance cameras to halt the carnage. Of course, much of the problem is human generated - visitors parking on the roadside, where there are clear signs prohibiting it, and feeding the ponies. And then, more go onto the road in winter to lick the salt.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the squirrels will have a nice food filled Winter with all those acorns, there are lots around here too, and it's been a really good year for conkers.
ReplyDelete