Hazelnut

By Bud Lemire 

 

I love to travel back in my memory, to when I was a kid
And think of all the things, that as kids we did
One was picking Hazelnuts, at Pioneer Trail Park one day
You had to wear gloves, to keep their bristles away   They were on the outside of the Hazelnut, when you pick
They'd get all over your hand, and they sure would stick
Pull off the green skin with the pickers, and the nut was there
It tasted so very good, you almost didn't want to share

Yet there were enough Hazelnuts, to go around
Some of them were seen, lying on the ground
Corylus Cornuta, or the Beaked Hazelnut as it is known
Looks like a beak or horn, wherever it is grown

It prefers the sun, yet tolerates some shade
It's taste is so great, you really have it made
It's a shrub, that grows close to 10 feet
All I know for sure is, they sure are good to eat

Depending on where you are, the nuts will be large or small
But if you're nutty like me, you will love them all
There are two kinds of Hazelnuts, The American and the Beaked kind
They are also widespread in Europe and Asia, you will find

Some call them Filberts, or the Cob Nut as well
You find them with the Mixed Nuts, and they always sell
It was the Beaked Hazelnut, that we had around here
We'd peel the husk off, grinning ear to ear
We'd wear gloves, so those picky hairs wouldn't get on either hand
This was a wonderful childhood memory, I thought it was grand
©Sept 5, 2018 Bud Lemire
                      Author Note:

Back in the 60's, Dad would take us way in back of Pioneer Trail Park
and they had the Beaked Hazelnuts there. We'd wear gloves and pick
them. Bring them home, and sit on the back porch peeling them.
Many times we'd eat a nut or two while we peeled, but we had to
make sure we had all those bristles from the skin off our hands.
Those were the good old days. Anyone else ever pick Hazelnuts?.

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