The Harvest

The harvest comes in October, a convenient season where there are fruit

crops to be taken care of. The process is extremely simple, being little

more than an old-fashioned nut gathering. When ripe, the nuts fall to

the ground, shedding their hulls on the way. They are picked up by boys,

girls, men and women.



During the harvest three or four rounds must be made through the grove,

perhaps a week elapsing between trips, each time slightly shaking the

trees to make the ripe nuts fall. On the last round, a padded mallet

with a long handle is used to dislodge the remaining nuts. The expense

of harvesting is slight, five or six people being sufficient to care for

a fifty-acre grove.