Saturday, September 16, 2023 | Country Acres South • Page 1 PRSRT STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #278 Madelia, MN 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave Sauk Centre MN 56378
SOUTH Saturday, September 16, 2023
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
Volume 2, Edition 8
Peeling off the layers of a possibility
Folkert operates a hulling site for black walnuts BY MARIA BICHLER STAFF WRITER
stations, each managed by independent contractors. PLAINVIEW — Anyone can bring Matt Folkert has cracked black walnuts to a buying open an opportunity for location, meaning the himself in southeastern nuts are almost all wild Minnesota. harvested and grown It revolves around without management. black walnuts. Ready-to-eat black Folkert, of rural walnuts, walnut cooking Plainview, began a oil and protein powder buying location for black are produced by Hamwalnuts last fall. The mons Products Company, 27-year-old operates among other products. the Hammons Products For his first season Company hulling site as in operation, Folkert an independent contrac- collected 27,782 pounds tor of the company at of hulled black walnuts. his uncle’s farmsite near This year, he hopes for an Elgin. even greater amount. Hammons Products “This year, especially Company is a faminow that it’s not the first ly-owned business that year and people know buys black walnuts from about it, it’s going to run across the Midwest and a lot better,” Folkert said. is based in Stockton, “I’m hoping to have an Missouri. even better turnout.” The company purFolkert, who grew up chases 25 million pounds on a farm in the area, opof black walnuts from erates the hulling location 11 states each fall. To do as a part-time, seasonal so, Hammons Products job. His full-time job at Company works with Mayo Clinic in Rochesmore than 200 buying ter keeps him occupied
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Matt Folkert (right) helps two harvesters unload a load of black walnuts in 2022 at his uncle’s farmsite near Elgin. Folkert is an independent contractor of Hammons Products Company of Stockton, Missouri.
during the week. “Generally, I also really love gardening and being outside,” Folkert said. “I like helping on
the farm.” When someone brings black walnuts to the location, the in-hull nuts are processed through a hull-
ing machine which strips the green outer hull and the hulled black walnut remains. Then, the hulled nuts are weighed. Folkert
Matt Folkert carries 50-pound bags of black walnuts Matt Folkert (center) and his father Gerald Folkert (right) help a in 2022 at his uncle’s farmsite near Elgin. Folkert lays harvester unload and process a pickup bed full of black walnuts the bags on pallets until the end of the season. in 2022 near Elgin. The black walnuts are processed through a hulling machine to remove the outer hull.
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COUNTRY: Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on October 7, 2023
pays each customer a set amount per pound.
Folkert page 2
Matt Folkert stands next to the hulling machine in 2022 at his uncle’s farm near Elgin. Folkert operated a black walnut buying location for the first time last year.
4
Birthdays Amy Kyllo Column
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5
4-H county spotlights
14 Apples galore La Crescent