Hazelnut Harvest Begins in Nebraska

We began harvesting hybrid hazelnuts today on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s East Campus. Troy Pabst, forestry property manager with the Nebraska Forest Service, said the harvest is 7-10 days early this year due to the drought. The hazelnut plants survived the hot, dry summer, but the nuts are much smaller this year, he said. The harvest is expected to take a couple of weeks.

Developing hybrid hazels that can survive in harsh weather and produce commercial-quality nuts is one of the major challenges facing the Hybrid Hazelnut Consortium partners. This summer has been an excellent test for the current crop of hazelnut plants.

The drought has intensified over parts of the central U.S., according to the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and the area in Nebraska where Consortium hazelnuts are being grown is in extreme drought.