Later this fall, when the weather is crisp, the hickory nuts, walnuts, pecans, and butternuts will have been harvested, cleaned, and husked. Then they need to be cracked open. To do this, Gerald Gardner’s legacy will be at work in hundreds of households across the country, helping to crack open our native nut crops.

Master Nutcrackers, built and individually numbered by Mr. Gardner, have been recognized for decades as among the best for revealing the tasty treasures inside those hard shells.

Learning that Mr. Gardner had ceased production, PNGA, as part of its mission to popularize our native nuts, decided to move forward with producing the nutcrackers. How many more people could enjoy hickories and black walnuts if they had an easier and more efficient way to crack them, rather than hitting them with a hammer or putting them in a bench vise?

Thank you to everyone that brought their best to the show! For a complete list of winners, from edible nuts to baked goods, click on the link below.

For $16 plus a shipping fee, you can have your own copy of the Nut Kernel Cookbook. Contact thenutkernel@gmail.com for details.