When can and how to collect pine cones correctly
Although cedars have thick branches, the shoots often break, and after damage the plants begin to ache, are affected by insects, and the fruits are not formed. To protect trees from destruction, to prevent the inhabitants of the forest from starving to death, local authorities prohibit harvesting of nuts until the start of the collection of cedar 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. Oil from nuts heals wounds, cures diseases.
Where does the cedar grow
A mighty tree from the Pine family lives for about 400 years and serves as a real wealth of Russia, it is widespread in Altai, feels fine in the Urals, but most of all is found in Siberia. Cedar forests purify the air, give nuts and nuts to its inhabitants and people.
Local peoples have been collecting cones since ancient times, and already in the 16th century the valuable product was supplied to England and other European states. The tree symbolizes strength, health and longevity.
How often is the pine nut harvest season
Unfortunately, cones on a powerful Siberian plant do not appear more often than once every 2 years, average fruiting is observed after 5, high - after 10, or even 15. The tree goes through 3 stages in development, at the youthful stage the cedar adapts to external conditions and is still incapable form germ cells, but at the end of the period fruiting is observed.
The plant develops well at the stage of maturity, which starts from 18 years and lasts until 250. After that, the aging stage begins when the plasticity of the shoots is disturbed. Depending on natural conditions, cedars delight with nuts from 300 to 350 years old.
What determines the yield season
Not one, but many factors influence the ripening and harvesting times of a product. The tree is fertilized by pollination, forms male and female cones. The first are in the center of the plant, the others are at the top.
Flowers on a cedar appear in the summer, but the seeds ripen after 18 months. The time of full ripening of fruits depends on
- from the terrain;
- soil composition;
- the age of the tree;
- climatic conditions.
Plants pollinate quickly on warm and sunny days. This process is slowed down by inclement and cold spring, and harvesting begins later.
Maturity dates of pine cones
The inhabitants of Siberia and Altai, according to the signs known only to them, determine when the time comes for harvesting nuts. In which month you can harvest cedar cones depends on the growing area. In some regions, harvesting begins as early as the 2nd decade of August, in Siberia - at the end of October, in the mountains - even later. In early spring, paddanks are harvested, which are blown off by a strong wind from the tops of the trees.
What you need to take with you
Having gathered in the taiga for cedar cones, you need to prepare inventory. They knock down the fruits from 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.
Local residents cling to the base of the plant with iron claws and with the help of such thorns, leaning on a rope, climb up. Many people get a valuable product by making a special chipper.
Methods for collecting cones
In order not to earn a fine from the authorities, it is necessary to harvest the cedar fruits correctly, observing the permitted technique. There are several methods for harvesting.
"Knocking down" cones with a stick
Ripe cedar fruits are not very firmly adhered to the branches of the plant. People take a heavy, long-handled stump with them to crush bumps. The weight of the punch, 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. Cedar fruits are knocked down with a short pole.
Picking up from the ground
Strong winds tear cones from trees, collecting padanok, unlike using a chop, does not harm the cedar, but to harvest, you will have to walk kilometers, besides, the inhabitants of the forest harvest a lot of fruits for themselves.
"Lazka" on a tree
With this method of extracting cones, a person climbs a cedar, clinging to a sharp metal hook, strikes the shoots, knocks down the fruits with a flexible pole. In order not to fall off the tree, they are tied with a rope.
What to do with collected buds
They go to the procurement of a valuable product in a group, and not alone. After harvesting, people set up camp to rest before returning and clean up the buds, which are crushed, peeled, then sieved and dried. For such work, graters and drums are used.
In order for the cedar fruits to dry out, they are placed in a wooden frame, fixed with an iron sheet with cut holes. A fire is made inside the space, little by little they put firewood so that the fire does not flare up too much.
Manual chopping
You can clean the valuable product yourself at home, but since it contains 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 piece is hit with a hammer several times. You can clear the resin on your hands by simply lubricating problem areas with cream or vegetable oil.
Peeling device
Professional pickers collect cedar cones in bags. It takes a lot of time to cut a product by hand. This work can be done using special devices. A ruble is used to extract the nuts. Cones are placed on the lower part of the structure with teeth, which are pressed down from above with a board with a handle and grind.
Another peeling device works on the principle of a mill and consists of a box where the rollers rotate through which the cones are passed. The nuts are folded into a hanging bag, and the husks fall on the cellophane lined.
How to clean the nucleoli from excess litter
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 crusher.If, after such manipulations, husks and debris remain, the pine nuts are washed under the tap and dried thoroughly.
Store a valuable product by placing it in a cellar or closet. 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 kernels peeled from the shell are sieved, but not washed, poured into a container, which is hermetically sealed, and sent to the freezer.
