For the past seven years I have had a grove of Buckeye trees in my back yard (actually several different species of Aesculus trees for any purists out there).
However, I didn't realize I could use these to predict how the Football team was going to do until I had a bumper harvest in 2002. The first few years I was here were good, but nothing like that crop of '02.
In 2003 I had a solid harvest, but again nothing to match 2002. Then last year I got TWO - count them - TWO lousy Buckyes. It was horrible. What few there were the squirrels were all over. For awhile I was afraid I was losing the trees themselves.
So this year I have been watching with particular interest since spring. First there were an inordinate number of blossoms. Then I saw the pods begin to form. They are everywhere and the squirrels have barely touched them.
Well, the harvest doesn't really get underway for another week or two (if you don't wait til the pods are ready to drop the nut will not be fully colored), but I am already starting to gather some early 'drops'. Which brings me to the photo below.
The hat is there for perspective. The necklace is from the harvest of 2003. Keep in mind that I try to use the best nuts I have for necklaces, so the size you see in the necklace is representative of the larger nuts in the harvest. Also keep in mind that it is normal to get one nut per pod - often two, and occasionally three, but generally one.
The three light brown nuts in the picuture are among the early returns from this years crop. They are also true Aesculus glabra, or Ohio Buckeye. Not only that, I got all three from a SINGLE POD!
If you are a Texas fan beware! You may be able to cover Santonio Holmes. You may be able to block A J Hawk. You might even find a way to slow Ted Ginn. But do you have an answer for my nuts?
However, I didn't realize I could use these to predict how the Football team was going to do until I had a bumper harvest in 2002. The first few years I was here were good, but nothing like that crop of '02.
In 2003 I had a solid harvest, but again nothing to match 2002. Then last year I got TWO - count them - TWO lousy Buckyes. It was horrible. What few there were the squirrels were all over. For awhile I was afraid I was losing the trees themselves.
So this year I have been watching with particular interest since spring. First there were an inordinate number of blossoms. Then I saw the pods begin to form. They are everywhere and the squirrels have barely touched them.
Well, the harvest doesn't really get underway for another week or two (if you don't wait til the pods are ready to drop the nut will not be fully colored), but I am already starting to gather some early 'drops'. Which brings me to the photo below.
The hat is there for perspective. The necklace is from the harvest of 2003. Keep in mind that I try to use the best nuts I have for necklaces, so the size you see in the necklace is representative of the larger nuts in the harvest. Also keep in mind that it is normal to get one nut per pod - often two, and occasionally three, but generally one.
The three light brown nuts in the picuture are among the early returns from this years crop. They are also true Aesculus glabra, or Ohio Buckeye. Not only that, I got all three from a SINGLE POD!
If you are a Texas fan beware! You may be able to cover Santonio Holmes. You may be able to block A J Hawk. You might even find a way to slow Ted Ginn. But do you have an answer for my nuts?
