Content
Pine nuts, suitable for food, grow on several types of pine; the distribution range of coniferous trees is all over the world. Cedar Siberian pine produces seeds only after 20 years of growth. They ripen for two years and have beneficial properties. The composition includes proteins, amino acids, fats and a complex of vitamins.
What do pine nuts grow on?
In Russia, seeds are collected not only from the Siberian Cedar pine. The name conventional tree does not apply to cedars. This is a different species; the pine got its name from its external resemblance to the cones of the Lebanese cedar. The difference is that cedar seeds are small, unsuitable for food, and are equipped with small, dense wings (for transfer by the wind).
Nuts are collected from three species on which cones with edible seeds grow:
- European pine.
- Cedar elfin wood.
- Korean pine.
Siberian pine is one of the oldest on the planet and is a symbol of Siberia. An evergreen coniferous tree grows up to 45 m in height. The growing season is slow, about 1.5 months a year, so the first cones form after 20 years.
The photo shows pine cones where pine nuts grow:
- mature modified shoots have the shape of an elongated oval, narrowed upward, 10–15 cm long, 7 cm in diameter;
- in the process of ripening purple, then brown;
- the surface consists of hard, diamond-shaped scutes up to 1.8 cm;
- the scales fit tightly to the cone, thickened at the base with dark, dense pigment;
- seeds up to 14 mm long, 9 mm, approximately 1 thousand seeds in 250 g;
- elongated, round at the base, tapering at the top (ovoid);
- dark brown with a brown tint.
Each cone contains up to 120 pieces. pine nuts. The seeds take 15 months to ripen; unopened cones fall off only in the fall of next year. Seed production in Siberian pine is periodic; collection is carried out once every 4-6 years.
Where do pine nuts grow?
In nature, there are about 20 species of pine trees, on which cones with seeds suitable for consumption grow. The growing area covers the northern part of the Russian Federation, Asia, Europe, and North America.
Where do pine nuts grow in Russia?
In Russia, three types of coniferous trees are the supplier of nuts:
- Siberian pine, occupies the European part, the immediate northeast and Eastern Siberia. The main cluster is in the Eurasian taiga.
- Korean pine, whose homeland is Japan. In Russia it grows in the Far East in the Khabarovsk Territory, the Amur Region, and Primorye. It reaches a height of 60 m, the modified shoots are large, up to 500 cones are formed on 1 tree with good seed filling (150 pcs.). Seed production once every 4 years. In the wild, it takes 10–15 years to produce full buds.
- Cedar elfin wood - a close relative of the Siberian pine. The low-growing shrub has spread from the north of Eurasia to the Arctic Circle. Grows on flat terrain and mountain slopes.It can be found in the polar regions of Chukotka, the southern border lies near the Khabarovsk Territory. The cones are small in size, the nuts are not inferior in weight to Siberian cedar. It enters the seeding phase after 20 years of growth and forms formations at the end of the shoot every 3 years. Produces seeds without age restrictions (up to 200 years).
The period of seed ripening is the same for all varieties; 2 years pass from the formation of cones to falling off.
In the world
In Asia: In Japan and northeast China, nuts are collected from Korean pine. In the Himalayas, Gerard pine is found, producing edible seeds. In China, nuts also grow on Chinese white pine; they are smaller in size and inferior in energy value to the seeds of Siberian cedar. In Afghanistan - Bunge Pine (White Bark Pine).
In Europe, pine nuts are harvested from the following pine trees:
- Stone (Pinia), distribution area Mediterranean, from the Iberian Peninsula to Asia Minor.
- European, grows in the Alps, Carpathians in southern France.
- Swiss has spread from Canada to Maine and Vermont (USA).
- In North America, the nut supplier is Pinyon Pine.
When are pine nuts collected?
The pine nut harvest season is focused on Siberian pine. Harvesting begins in early or mid-September. The timing depends on the weather of the summer season. A favorable time for ripening and easy shedding of cones is wet summer. In drought, they are firmly fixed to the branch with the help of resin and fall off poorly.
It is impossible to knock down unripe seeds, as this will damage the food supply of birds and taiga animals. Late collection is limited to the hunting season.The harvesting of nuts ends when the first snow falls, approximately at the end of October. The time allotted for fishing is approximately 1.5 months. The spring harvest takes place from April to May; fallen fruits are collected; the productivity of spring harvesting is much lower.
How are pine nuts extracted?
The process of collecting pine nuts is quite labor-intensive. It is carried out in several stages. They assemble a team of several people with different functional loads. The scouts are the first to go into the taiga, followed by the rest of the brigade members. They spend a week on the hunt: they collect cones, clean them, and extract pine nuts.
Collection is carried out using several methods:
- They pick up already fallen cones that the animals did not take away. The method is unproductive, the cones fall unevenly, most of them remain on the pine tree.
- In an artel there is always a person who climbs trees. He climbs a tree, uses a long pole with a hook at the end to knock down the cones, and collects them below.
- They climb a tree using special devices on shoes in the form of long spikes (claws). This method is less dangerous, but requires certain skills.
- The most labor-intensive type of fishing is knocking down with a log hammer. This device with a long handle and a sledgehammer at the end weighs 50 kg. They put him against a tree trunk, pull him back with the help of ropes, and release him. The impact shakes the tree and the cones fall off in a continuous stream.
Collect the material in bags and take it to the parking lot for further cleaning.
How is it processed after collection?
Before going into the taiga, prepare the equipment necessary to obtain pine nuts. Processing is carried out in the following way:
- The cones are crushed in a box with a shaft built inside, which has a grater-like surface. The bottom of the device is lattice. A cloth or cellophane is spread below the crusher.
- Pine nuts are separated from debris using a sieve with large cells and sifted a second time through small ones. Cleaning can be done by discarding; fragments of debris are lighter, they are discarded further, and the seeds fall off in one place.
- If the camp is located near a reservoir, cleaning can be done with water. Standing water or a river with a slow flow is suitable for this purpose. In the shallows, at the bottom of the river, they stretch the film, fix it with stones, and sprinkle the seeds in a thin layer in the middle. Debris and shields will be carried away by the current or will rise to the surface. The method is less labor-intensive, but the pine nuts will take longer to dry.
- After being separated from the garbage, the pine nuts are dried. A sheet of metal is placed over the fire, seeds are poured onto it, dried, stirring constantly. Then they are poured into one pile in the corner of the tent; the bags are not used until transportation.
The collected cedar seeds are constantly mixed. After transportation, spread in a thin layer to evaporate the remaining moisture. When the year is lean and the time spent in the taiga is short. The material is collected in bags, taken home and cleaned on site.
Conclusion
Pine nuts grow all over the world. There are several varieties of pine trees that produce edible seeds. The best nuts in terms of chemical composition and energy value grow on Siberian pine, but dwarf pine is in no way inferior in terms of the content of active substances.
