Missouri Product is a Blast for Some

Each day, as I have said before, I learn something new about Missouri agriculture - partly due to the diversity of our state, partly due to the fact that there are so many great things going on in agriculture.  Often I come across new ways to use Missouri agricultural products in ways that I didn't even know existed.  And that is what I have found here in Missouri black walnuts.

As a kid, I knew far too well what black walnut trees were.  My family had huge black walnut trees in the backyard of our house in southwest Missouri.  Each year as the walnuts fell to the ground, the neighbor kid, Tony, and I would put on our gloves, grab some black trash bags and boxes and begin picking up black walnuts.  We spent hours and hours gathering up the walnuts - which many times ended up in a quick game of a walnut tossing contest.  The reward came at the end when Dad would load up our findings and cash them in.  Our hard work had paid off.

What I didn't realize back then was not only is black walnut an important component of Missouri’s forest ecosystem, it represents a significant part of our economic system contributing $5 billion to our state's economy.  Missouri is the nation's leading producer of black walnut meat with over 16 million pounds produced annually and 65% of the U.S. annual wild harvest coming from right here in Missouri. 

 

The nation's largest walnut company, AgriMissouri member Hammons Products Company, is located right in Stockton, Missouri.  In the video below, you will see a new way that Missouri black walnuts are used - and not just covering them with chocolate and ending up in my belly (a favorite treat of mine.)  Black walnuts are used for blasting (much like sand blasting) restoring wood, bricks and metal.  Another interesting find for a Missouri product:

 

And that is just another way to Think Outside the Barn!

** Posted by Misti Preston

Comments

[Web Development Surrey]

Cool,

I love black walnuts...

Thanks for writing about it