Acorn Gathering and Recipes!

Autumn is here! That means it is Acorn gathering and eating season!

ABOUT ACORNS
For thousands of years, people who lived among oaks in the Northern Hemisphere relied heavily on acorns as a food source. In fact, acorns and chestnuts were the primary sources of carbohydrates until the domestication of agriculture and wheat, starting 10,000 years ago. Even after the large-scale production of grains, acorns continued to be an important food staple. Peoples who ate acorns as a mainstay are now called baleocultures. Sadly, the processing of acorn food in our modern world is a mostly lost cultural skill. Luckily, however, there are some traditions globally that continue it, including Korea, and there is a resurgence of interest in wild-crafting and post-industrial-age survival foods.

In California, acorns constituted the primary diet of more than 3/4 of all Native American tribes. For some, acorns comprised up to 45% of their diet! Acorns were second to only salt among food items traded among Indians. Some tribal families, including the Miwok in Yosemite Valley, ate up to 500 lbs. of acorns a year! Acorns were made into a variety of mushes and breads. Nutritionally, depending upon the species, acorns are made up of 18% fat, 6% protein, are made up of 68% carbohydrates, and contain significant amounts of Vit. A & C.

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