When pine cones are harvested: in what month and how correctly for different regions

Although cedars have thick branches, the shoots often break, and after damage, the plants begin to hurt, are affected by insects, and fruits are not formed. To protect the trees from destruction, to prevent the inhabitants of the forest from dying of starvation, local authorities forbid harvesting nuts until the announcement of the start of collecting pine cones. Almost all parts of the tree have healing properties, the seeds are rich:

• iodine and vanadium;
• copper and silicon;
• potassium and magnesium.

There are many vitamins in the needles. Walnut oil heals wounds, treats diseases.

Where the cedar grows

A mighty tree from the genus Pine lives for about 400 years and is the real we alth of Russia, it is common in Altai, feels normal in the Urals, but is most common in Siberia. Cedar forests purify the air, give its inhabitants and people nuts.

Local peoples have been collecting cones since ancient times, and already in the 16th century, a valuable product was supplied to England and other European states. The tree symbolizes strength, he alth and longevity.

How often is the pine nut harvest season

Unfortunately, cones on a mighty Siberian plant appear no more than once every 2 years, average fruiting is observed after 5, high - after 10, or even 15. A tree goes through 3 stages in development, at the youthful stage, the cedar adapts to external conditions and is still unable to form germ cells, but at the end of the period, fruiting is observed.

The plant develops well at the stage of maturity, which starts at the age of 18 and lasts until 250. After that, the aging stage begins, when the plasticity of the shoots is disturbed. Depending on the natural conditions, cedar trees delight with nuts from 300 to 350 years.

What determines the harvest season

Not one, but many factors influence the ripening and harvesting time of the product. The tree is fertilized during pollination, forms male and female cones. The first are in the center of the plant, the others are at the top.

The flowers on the cedar appear in the summer, but the seeds ripen after 18 months. Full ripening time depends on:

• from terrain;
• soil composition;
• tree age;
• climatic conditions.

Plants pollinate quickly on warm and sunny days. This process is slowed down by a rainy and cold spring, and the harvest begins later.

Terms of maturation of cedar cones

Inhabitants of Siberia and Altai, by signs known only to them, determine when it is time to harvest nuts. In what month you can collect cedar cones, depends on the area of growth. In some regions, harvesting begins already in the 2nd decade of August, in Siberia - at the end of October, in the mountains - even later. In early spring, padanki are harvested, which are torn from the tops of trees by a strong wind.

What to bring with you

Having gathered in the taiga for cedar cones, you need to prepare your inventory. They knock down the fruits from the trees, armed with a stick with a hook or a long pole, but this requires skill, otherwise you can break the branches. To pluck cones on a cedar, you need to stock up on a nylon cable, it is tied to the trunk and used as insurance.

Locals cling to the base of the plant with iron claws and with the help of such spikes, leaning on a rope, climb up. Many get a valuable product by making a special stab.

Methods of collecting cones

In order not to earn a fine from the authorities, you need to harvest cedar fruits correctly, observing the permitted technique. There are several methods by which the crop is harvested.

Knocking down cones with a stick

Ripe cedar fruits are not very firmly held on the branches of the plant. To crush the cones, people take with them a heavy stump with a long handle. The weight of the stab, as such a device is called, exceeds 80 kg. The tool is hit several times on a tree trunk, the diameter of which is less than 35 cm. The cedar fruits are knocked down with a short pole.

Gathering from the ground

Strong winds pluck cones from trees, collecting padanka, unlike using a stab, does not harm the cedar, but in order to harvest, you will have to walk kilometers, and besides, the inhabitants of the forest harvest a lot of fruits.

"Lazka" on a tree

With this method of extracting cones, a person climbs a cedar, clinging with a sharp metal hook, strikes at the shoots, and knocks down the fruits with a flexible pole. In order not to fall off the tree, they are tied with a cable.

What to do with collected cones

They go to harvest a valuable product in a group, not alone. After harvest, people set up camp to rest before returning and clean the buds, which are crushed, husked, then sieved and dried. To carry out such work, graters and drums are used.

In order for the cedar fruits to dry, they are placed in a wooden frame, fixed with an iron sheet with cut holes. A fire is kindled inside the space, firewood is added little by little so that the fire does not flare up strongly.

Cutting by hand

Valuable product can be cleaned at home, but because it has a lot of resin, you need to wear gloves. To make the nuts fall out faster, the cones are placed on a plank and each copy is hit with a hammer several times. You can clean the resin that got on your hands by simply lubricating the problem areas with cream or vegetable oil.

Scaling tool

Professional pickers collect cedar cones in bags. To cut the product manually, you need to spend a lot of time. This work can be done using special tools. Rubel is used to extract nuts. Cones are placed on the lower part of the structure with teeth, which are pressed from above with a board with a handle and rubbed.

Another dehulling device works on the principle of a mill and consists of a box where rollers rotate through which the cones are passed. Nuts are placed in a hanging bag, and the husks fall on a lined cellophane.

How to clean the nucleoli from excess rubbish

To make it easier to remove the shell from the grains, at home they are scalded with boiling water, frozen, heated in the oven, fried in a pan or simply placed in a garlic press. If, after such manipulations, husks and debris remain, the pine nuts are washed under the tap and dried thoroughly.

Keep a valuable product by placing it in a cellar or pantry. So that it does not deteriorate in the apartment, they put it in a wooden box, glass or tin can, in a cardboard box.

The shelled kernels are sieved, but not washed, poured into a container that is hermetically sealed, and sent to the freezer.

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