Filberts or Hazelnuts? What’s the Difference?

An Oregon filbert/hazelnut orchard.

 

We went down to Oregon’s Willamette Valley to visit our son at college for father’s weekend. Trying out our large toy hauler for the first time, our friends John and Charlie Scharf let us park in their backyard. Looking out their living room window, the view was incredible. They, like us, are surrounded by farmground.

Emerald beauty

John and his brother, Jay and dad, Bob, grow everything from grapes to grass seed to corn to wheat to hazelnuts. Er, I mean filberts.

Apparently filberts and hazelnuts are really the same nut. It just depends how they are processed, according to my girlfriend. She says they are trying to market the name as filbert in Oregon because theirs are better for use in chocolates and candies – they are larger and don’t go rancid as quickly as the sun-dried Hazelnuts of Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazelnut

Filberts, filberts everywhere...and really good to eat!

I couldn’t find verification on the internet, but I believe her. She’s a wonderful cook, and knows her nuts! Charlie even helped test the recipes for “Hazelnuts and More”, a cookbook full of yummy recipes.

http://www.amazon.com/Hazelnuts-More-Lucy-Gerspacher/dp/1558682031

Nut sex. It takes two varieties to pollinate. I think these are a Barcelona (left) and a Daviana.

I learned a lot about them when I toured an Oregon hazelnut producer’s operation. For example, it takes two kinds of nuts to pollinate, and they use a Barcelona and a Daviana.

I’ve been eating filberts all week and they are my new favorite nut!

http://www.leftoverqueen.com/2008/07/30/you-say-filbert-i-say-hazelnuta-schitzoid-daring-bakers-gateauwith-some-serious-issues

Nuts still in their husks.

Lots and lots of nuts.

http://oregonhazelnuts.org/

Hazelnuts dried and under cover awaiting processing.

These grain bins have heaters in them to dry the nuts.

The Willamette Valley is a beautiful place to live.

Paradise in our friends’ backyard!

Yea!! Harvest!!

This is as excited as the donkeys get…but not us

We started harvest Saturday, July 23rd. After an entire week, we are still pumped! The combines are going 2 1/2 miles an hour through thick, tall wheat. One of the draws the yield monitor indicated 138 bushels to the acre! And the stubble, the half too deep to cut, is still green.

Our fields are averaging in the 70s and 80s. This is unheard of here, on our ground. It is the best crop we have ever cut. That isn’t to say we won’t have some fields that don’t do as well. Our garlic is the worst, and may not be cut. Crops to the east of us, closer to the John Day River are in the thirties and forties per acre. Crops to the west are going over 100 bushels to the acre! It is a crazy year.

Colt taught Ben to drive bankout…now he can relax and get a tan!!

Yes, there have been fires, but so far, small and controllable. Simantels had one that the combine started in the field, probably because the rust remaining is so powdery, sticky and flammable. They got it stopped at a wind tower road – see, wind towers are good!!  And one farmer had a truck burn to the ground, but he disked around it before it could burn anything else. Except his wallet and cell phone were in the lunch box.

First sign of trouble…fire, but in the next county over.

And of course there are always breakdowns and issues – Kevin hates hauling to Biggs because it is so crowded and tourists don’t realize that he weighs over 100,000 pounds and can’t stop on a dime.

Biggs Junction – the confusing on ramp that is really two-way to the elevator.

They cut out in front of him and flip him off for turning the “wrong way” on an on ramp. (It is only one of maybe two in the whole state that is a two-way ramp.)

Elevator office at Biggs

Shovels or Wheelbarrows?? Both!!

Line up at the river…but Ken and Brandon are really fast!

People do not understand that these big, full trucks cannot stop for them quickly.

Freeway idiots…

A view of Biggs Junction from Maryhill Winery.

Inside Biggs elevator!

Kevin taking a sample of our wheat

One of our landlords said, “Yeah, now if only the price was better.” Are you kidding me? The price is fine, considering. Has he forgotten that just a few years ago it was only $4 per bushel? Now it is over $7. But that is farmer mentality, right? At least I haven’t heard anyone say that the crop is too good and is taking too many nutrients out of the soil. I heard that one year, years ago, and couldn’t believe it.

Piper – our only female!!

We’ve had all kinds of fun giving kids and friends rides on the combines, and even though the days are long, the end is in sight. Only three weeks out!

Its like taking kids up for the first time in a little airplane - they love it!

Personally, I love these DOG DAY AFTERNOONS!

I wonder, ponder…have we, as a society, forgotten how lucky we are? Yes, there are better years when we didn’t have to spray for rust or wait so long for harvest. Hell, there are years when I was younger and had more energy! We are incredibly lucky, just to be alive.

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Happy 4th of July weekend!!

I was ready with my painted toes...

We were at the beach for the 4th of July weekend, a good way to destress and chill out before harvest. The weather was perfect – and so was the company: Amanda, Justin, Taylor, Alex, Deanna, Brandon, Keegan, Brett, Arly & us.

There was a Sandfest down at Coos Bay – thank goodness because it cleared the crowds away from Winchester Bay for us. As you can see it wasn’t crowded at all, despite the big Red Bull tent and gathering.

We won a zillion bouncy balls for Taylor at the pizza place, and Brandon finally succeeded in getting her the grand prize – 4 times – at Bedrocks in Reedsport.

We spent two-day pulling out of holes and trying to get un-stuck. Justin covered  Brandon with sand…payback for all the other times Brandon got him!

Life is good. Of course there are still Nimbys who try to stop the four wheeling on the dunes. Some people build houses close to the riding areas and then complain about the noise – like suburbs that are built too close to airports. They obviously don’t realize that it is good, clean fun – we don’t damage the environment (except for the gas we burn – much less than cars, boats or airplanes). It also keeps a lot of people employed at the economically hit coast.

http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/ATV/Protect_Privilege.shtml#OPRD____

Friendly ribbing...

Finally he's out of the hole!

Brandon covered with sand

I was ready with my painted toes…

Finally he’s out of the hole!

Friendly ribbing…

Brandon covered with sand