It’s Nuts! Oak trees raining heavy crop of acorns in many places

Not sure about the acorns, no oak trees in my yard. :( However, my chestnut tree is OVERFLOWING right now. There are some very happy squirrels in my neighborhood. :)

Red Oaks - Massive crop this year
White Oaks - nothing, big year last year

The Black, White, and Red Oaks in my yard In Simsbury, CT seem to either be holding their acorns still, or they didn't produce any this year. Unlike the last couple years when these trees were veritable factories, there are really none to speak of on the ground right now. On the other hand, perhaps due to the wet summer, I've had more types of mushrooms than I could believe.... maybe that's for a different blog though.

Actually acorns are not toxic at all and are eaten all over the world. It is neccessary to leach or boil them to take the bitterness out, but they are quite tasty. They're often cleaned and ground into an acorn cornmeal and used for baking or thickening stews. White oaks are best!

My wife and i were just commenting yesterday about the LACK of acorns on our Grafton property this year. We have several large oaks which during the last couple of years shed so many acorns, it was difficult footing in oour yard. This year, hardly any. They still manage to produce a ton or more of leaves which defines our weekends every fall.

I live in North Chelmsford just outside of Lowell. We have been amazed at the LACK of aconrs on our trees this year. I have seen zero ecorn production. Usually it like walking on ball bearings when they fall and i have to ware a hat if i sit on the deck. We have lots of oaks but no acorns. The squirels are going nuts instead!

I'm in Worcester, and my yard is surrounded by Oaks. Usually, my yard is covered, but this year it is unusually absent of acorns. The least amount I have observed in the 8 years I have lived there.

Last year was huge. Not so much this year.

Thank goodness, our oak tree is not raining acorns this year - we have spent countless hours in the past few years literally digging them out of the ground, digging up baby oak trees, etc. This is the year our tree is not dropping acorns. Sorry squirrels!

I'm having an acornucopia!

This year in Rehoboth we seem to have an average crop.
Last year was a very light crop. My area has quite a few dead/dying oaks.
My backyard is home to at least 3 redtailed hawks, squirrels and chipmunks
dine at their own peril.

Yes, the article was poorly researched. Found this on the Web in about 2 seconds:

Acorns played an important role in American history as one of the main foods in the diet of Native Americans from coast to coast. The Apaches and Comanches of West Texas, the Tonkawas of Central Texas, and the Caddoan tribes of East Texas all harvested acorns (Newcomb 1961). Most Native Americans and early settlers used acorn meal as flour, as an ingredient in mush or pounded with meat, fat, and berries to make pemmican.

I live in Norwell and have never seen or heard so many acorns falling like they are in my yard. I hope the squirrels and chipmunks devour them so I don't have to rake'm

I live on the South Shore and my neighborhood is covered in acorns. The wildlife will have no shortage of food this winter. I hope it isn't true that lots of acorns mean a tough winter.

I live on the Cape and I've been astounded by the number and size of acorns this year. The sound of them falling is constant; they're bouncing off of everything! It's something of a hazard to spend time outside right now! I planned to rake them up and dump them, but maybe I'll strategically place piles of them around the yard, instead!

I've never been so aware in 60 years of living in Quincy, MA. A few weeks ago it was literally "raining" acorns. As a matter of fact I had a tiny crack on my windshield which was very noticiable when I got into the car in the morning, was not there the previous evening when I parked and there was an acorn in the windshield wiper well. Possible acorn damage? May the squirrels enjoy the feast and leave my tulips alone. I was about to give up on planting!

The oak tree's were mandated by their new government to redistribute their wealth.

I'm with you Geoffu, i'm in Medway and last year the acorns were everywhere. This year...nothing.

and it's the tannins that make acorns bitter, saying that theya re toxic is poor reporting, it only takes a 10 second search to find out that they were once an important part of the local Native American diet.

No acorns at all under my big Natick oak tree!! Hence, no raccoons, no clean-up!!

On my property in Scituate (coastal southeastern MA), there's zillions of acorns this year, and not only that, they're dropping like bombs--like the squirrels have slingshots!

HUGE white oak acorn crop in Foxborough last year - nothing so far this year... Thank God - as good as they are for the ecosystem, they make a TERRIBLE mess out of the yard....

Major acorn year in my Beverly, Ma. yard. Light the previous two years. Don;t know if they are from the white or red oaks as I have both.

The red oaks in my yard in Boxford have very few, comparatively, acorns this year. Plenty of leaves however.

My house is surrounded by red oaks here in Bridgewater and it's practically raining acorns every day. I went out to mow the lawn last weekend and I have one hillside completely covered.

In Charlton here - getting bombarded with acorns. Chipmunks and squirrels are going nuts! The neighbor's cat is in heaven as well as he stalks his victims.

Interesting. I was just commenting the other day that I have almost no acorns from my seven oaks. The last two years were the heavy ones for us. Like Bette, we pulled up a lot of baby trees. I was talking with a friend in PA, and he is buried in acorns this year.

I live in Jamaica Plain Boston. Last year the oaks surrounding my house kept acorns falling all fall by the bucket fulls! This year not a one?

Out of many oak trees and several speciecs (red, white, black(?), pin) on and around my property, only one tree had a heavy crop this year. Perhaps due to the lack of acorns on the other trees (which usually produce fairly well), squirrels, blue jays, and chipmuck focused on this tree quickly, and did a good job of cleaning up the acorns. Groveland, MA

Not a single acorn in the north/central NJ! I've called friends from Princeton area to Short Hills, NJ (50 mile swath) ... narry a nut. This goes for white, reds and black oaks. I noticed this as area pumpkins were eviscerated by squirrels. I don't know if a squirrel can have an worried look, but these guys are scrambling to find anything to eat, yet alone store for the coming winter.

Not a single acorn from any of our oak trees, we have been perplexed.
Our neighbors have also mentioned the lack of fruit.
We also have a hickory nut tree, again nothing this year.
The squirrels and chipmunks are going crazy, looking for food;
we have been feeding them.
We live in Cortlandt Manor NY, 50 miles North of NYC

I found this article because I was wondering why my white oak was producing an inordinate amount of acorns this year. I live in Charlotte, NC. I thought it might be a harbinger of Obama's victory, but I am also glad to learn that acorn crops vary from year to year. This year there are tons

We live in Morgan County Alabama and our white oaks are raining acorns. Is the wives tale about a hard winter true? I don't think I have ever seen so many fall.

Acorns of oaks in the white oak group (white, swamp white, chesnut, post, et al) mature in one growing season while acorns of oaks in the red oak group (scarlet, northern red, pin, black, shingle, et al) require two growing seasons to mature. Depending on the species around, that's why some years we see more acorns.

We usually have tons of acorns where we are located in CT, but this year
while racking, not a one was spotted. I dislike racking them immensly
but the lack of them has me really worried. Only winter will tell, right???

I live in Kansas and had a bunch of acorns last year, but I literally have not had one single acorn this year. Too bad because now I know they're good for stews.

I'm about 15 miles south of Philadelphia and don't have a single acorn, not on the ground or in the tree! Last year we had so many you couldn't see the grass, thankfully we have a family of 6 or so deer that came by and ate them every night...it does seem that we have extra leaves this year to take the place of the missing acorns!

I have lived in my house in Somers NY for 9 years and the acorns have been there every year. This year I have not seen any.

NO and I mean NONE!!! I live on the North shore of Long Island NY and suddenly
noticed that no acorns have. fallen from any of my 5 very large trees. In the 11 years
I have lived here never had NO acorns? My girls miss collecting them for their acorn soup! :o(

I found this blog as a result of wondering what was happening with the New England acron mast this year. I live in Stamford, CT, am surrounded by 90 foot high oaks of different varieties, and have had no acrorn drop whatsoever! Last few years have been plentiful, but this year I'm worried about the deer and squirrels. It is interesting to me to hear of heavy production in certain parts of Mass, but none here. We had a fairly long drought this summer, plus the last few years' production has been bountiful, so I guess it's time for the cycle to change.

I live in Reading, MA, visit in Winchester and work in Walpole. I have not seen one acorn this year, when, usually, I am skating on them. I would love to find some for a craft project and to mail to my sister in Oregon.

So glad to find your article. My home is ooon 2 acres of very mature oak trees ,I am sure several species, I have lived here 5 years and never noticed many acorns, this year the ground is almost covered. Nov.9,2008 Azle,Texas ( 15 miles NW of Fort Worth)

Was looking for the answer to why no acorns -- not one -- from any of my 12 oaks. I live in Northern NJ -- Bergen County

So many comments, this seems redundant but - Acton, MA - zero acorns after 2 years of bumper crops. We are, however, up to our necks in white-tail deer and chipmunks. Haven't planted tulips in years and I'm now afraid to even plant daffodils!

The acorns are huge and have literally covered the ground...more than I have ever seen...leaves cover the ground in layers and the trees are still loaded with them...if this is truly an indication of winter weather conditions to come, schools in Cary, NC will be closed many days this winter...

May be we will be lucky enough to have snow at Chrismas if a heavy crop of acorns indicates a hard winter. A fortnight ago the ground was totally covered infact the drive looked like the shingle had been relpaced with acorns. I was amazed. This has certainly kept the children busy raking them up and a trip to the tip. The wild life are delighted and has given me many moments of pleasure watching them. Especially the Jays. Not so sure I fancy digging up many baby oak trees though!
Norwich Norfolk, England

there are zero acorn this year and the squirrels ,have devastated my two green japanese maple trees .I had a specialist come out he says ther alright but i think they caused to much damage they knawed off most of the branches to eat the seed the tree makes . and the leaves are off the tree and threre still eating the branches, i live on l.i n.y. and the gentleman who thinks alot of acorns mean rough winter, here in the east the previous two years we have had all time high acorn drop and we have had a say zone 7 winter . I think the oppisite this year i believe we are in for a very long winter and with no food alot of these animals will perish.

Found this article after noticing that we have NO ACORNS this year in my yard in Ridgefield CT. My lawn service owner noticed the same thing across all of town. Last 2 years we had a large crop. Any theories as to why the seeming lack of acorns across Connecticut?

We have a ton of acorns here in Marshfield, MA. It has actually made walking and adventure. My Husband almost took a few "dixies" in the driveway. That is why I did a search of "Acorns in MA, because in the 8 years I have lived here, I have never seen anything like it.

We live in Pensacola, Florida, we have been commenting about the large number of acorns this year. We thought maybe the trees are coming back after record hurricanes, but I honestly can't say I have ever seen anything like this since I have lived here!

last the acorns fell like crazy (I think they are still there). This year, we have been dodging walnuts! When they fall, you know it. The kids couldn't play in the yard for most of the summer because they would get pelted by big green walnuts. This is the first year we got such a crop

@ #13 - BT, Same here, I also live in Norwell and in my front yard there is 1 red aok, that oak is producing acorns like I have never ever seen before. There has to be over 1000 acorns on the ground, they fall like bombs in the night landing on our cars, the roof and I can hear them hitting the neighbors cars as well.

I couldn't find one single acorn this year wandering around Evanston, IL and there are quite many beautiful old and young oaks in the area. I was searching with the intention of trying to grow oak from acorn. If someone is willing to mail me a few, I'd be so happy. Please let me know. Thanks.

No crop at all in southern Arkansas
terrible as my dairy goat herd usually gets very fat on them!
maybe next year!
rm

We live in West Hartford, Connecticut and have not seen one acorn on any of the oaks in our area.
We are really worried about the local wildlife that feed on acorns.
Please tell all your friends to help feed the animals this winter.

We are in Burlington, CT and have not one hickory nut and almost no acorns. We usually raked them up into trash cans. We will be concerned for the wildlife this year.

I live in CT.. My daughter is in E.Longmeadow MA... she has a huge yard full of Oak trees... Last year and for many years before.... copius amounts of Acorns.. and huge.. have to keep cars out from under trees...and a walk in the yard could be deadly..
This year ... not a one...There is much wildlife aroung her home... what will they do?...

We are having a Mass Production year here in North Alabama as well.
This is the 10th year we have lived in this house and I don't ever remember
all the different types of Oak Trees we have, producing so much..

We have a lot of Oaks in our yard and tons of leaves this year but no acorns. Two years ago was when we had so many acorns I threaten to cut the trees down. I never realized they go in cycles?

I live on the North shore of Long Island and found this blog while trying to find an answer for the total absence of acorns despite my 25+ oaks of both red and white varieties. Unfortunately the only mention of a possible cause I see here is "drought" but we do not have one. Could it possibly be related to the strange die-offs of honeybees that was reported early this spring?? Non-pollenation would cause a lack of acorns, but could the lack of just honeybees cause such a great decline of production? There are other pollenating species and I think at least some of them would have gotten to these massive oaks.

Here in Weymouth MA behind Pond Meadow, no acorns first year in thirty two years have not seen any acorns. Used to be you couldn't walk in the back yard without almost falling, but not this year. Plenty of leaves to rake but no acorns.

I live in Smithtown on Long Island and we have absolutely no acorns this year from Red or White Oaks. Last year we had a bumper crop.

very weird. not an acorn in my yard after last years downpour of them.
Shelby county, Ohio

here in nw crawford county, pa,my granddaughter loves to pick up acorns as we walk the 1 mile lane...this year she only found one tiny cap...usually the lane is covered for weeks as the wildlife thrives on it. Obviously it is not a good sign for this group of wildlife, although nature offers more than one type of food. The two hickory trees and also the many beechnut trees also failed to produce any nuts this year.

Acorns may be down this year in Virginia, but pecans are abundant. This is the biggest year I have ever had from my three cultivars and one seedling. I think if you want to do a wild life planting pecans would be a good choice. The trees are a little bit brittle in wind storms, but they seem to produce good crops. I plan on replanting some of my crop in the woods around Mt. Vernon.

I live in faquier county va.And we have had a bumper crop of acorns this year more than I have seen in years.I had to rake them up just so my mower could get through.I have heard before some years oaks take a break,don't know why.

To 59. Rick Seward: "Could it possibly be related to the strange die-offs of honeybees that was reported early this spring?? Non-pollenation would cause a lack of acorns..."

Oaks are wind pollinated so lack of acorns is not related to insect pollination. Maybe because NYC/LI had a very rainy Spring season this year? Would love some scientific input on this question. Now I understand why I am seeing so many road killed deer, raccoons and squirrels - they're not finding enough food.

I live in Kansas City in 2007 we were cleaning up acorns in the front yard till late dec from 2 35+ year old oak trees.In the 30 years that I have lived here i had never seen so many acorns. but this year not a single acorn on the ground. We usually have 20 to 25 squirrels in the front feeding their faces from dawn till dusk.sorry squirrels better luck next year.

I have live here in Northern Essex County (Bradford) at this location for the past 11 years. We have 14 very tall oak trees in the front yard and to many to count in the backyard do to us living on a golf coarse. This is the first year I have ever seen where their is not one acorn on my lawn at all. Usually it is one step up and two steps down when mowing the lawn however; this year it has been nothing. The squirrels have even resorted to eating my display pumpkins be it them being real or fake. It has gotten so bad for these little guy that the corn that was on the corn stalks we had up for Thanksgiving were picked so clean you could have made corn cob pipes.

We have more than our share of acorns from our 100 year old tree in Salem NH. But I believe we have a concern since it is mid- August and 95% of the leaves are brown and both acorns and leaves are all over the ground. Any advice of what could of caused this or help would be appreciated.

I live in belleville michigan and acorns are falling by the tons this year.

is there a tool available that makes picking up acorns easier

My question is coming from Ct..I have a small sanctuary where I feed wild squirrels birds...the usual cast of characters...I have had at the 13 squirrels tolerating each other for a bite...since early Aug..they are gone as well as none I can see in my town...what could have happened???
Thanks
M

I live in upstate (Rochester NY) I have a large oak tree that is producing acorns on a massive scale, they rain down day & night. It sounds like someone is throwing rocks at our house.

huge crop in Minnesota. I thought there was a racoon up in the tree shaking them down. It was so loud it woke me up several times in the past two weeks. Weird, why else would I be googling this on a Saturday night??

I live in Sugar Land Tx and i have two large live oaks that are about 15 years old, We have never had many acorns fall . This year my yard is covered and it sounds like a war of acorns falling all day and night.

Huge crop of (Red) acorns in the Dallas, Texas area. I've never seen this many in my yard!

It's September, 2009 and it's RAINING acorns in our yard in Leander TX, on the outskirts of Austin...we have 17 oaks in our yard and the ground and deck are covered, the driveway is stained.....we've never had this before and have lived here 6 years...we're wondering if this means a heavy winter......in Austin TX "heavy" is light for people up north, but we do have the jays and squirrels dependent on them.

I live in Fairfield, CA and the acorns are falling from the trees in large quantites. That's why I was wondering if they were eatable. Why do nost not eat them or see them for sale?

Last year (2008) nothing - as reported by others here in Fairfield County CT. This year, it has swung the other way and we are inundated with Acorns - more than I've ever seen in my 10 years at this residence. So many its become a liability for trip hazard on our sidewalks and driveways. I've had to haul away not buckets, but bushels of them. Last week we had an all-day windstorm and it was hazardous just to step outside the house!

I live in Southeastern Virginia and there is a bumper crop of acorns for the 8 oak trees in our yard. Its strange! I've never seen trees shed so many acorns at one time. We can't even park our cars in the driveway because they dent the top of our vehicles. I can easily sweep them up from the driveway and fill a plastic grocery bag every day, that's not to mention the other part of the yard. If you sit on the back deck, you will get hit in the head. Even the dogs are paranoid about going outside. I'm glad to see that there is pleanty for the squirles to eat. Before long, they will be so fat they can't climb the trees. We had a very wet spring and maybe that had an affect on the crop or maybe it's natures way of saying it going to be a very hard winter this year.

Newton MA..the hospital campus has a few huge oaks yielding MILLIONs of acorns. We get bopped on the head, they get popped by the traffic. Incredible!

Great, I have lived in the same home for 22 years and we have one very old large oak tree, and we get a ton of acorns every year. We have to blow off the drive way every day, as it's covered with acorns,and it's like thay every year.

I have lived in mi. in the same home for 22 years and we have one very old large oak tree, and we get a ton of acorns every year. We have to blow off the drive way every day, as it's covered with acorns,and it's like that allways.

If anyone is having a light acorn year, we here in Henderson, NC, (almost to the VA border) can have bushels of ours this year. I have black and blue marks all over my arms, and even one on my neck, just trying to get to the car. We have lived in NC 12 years and I never had any allergy problems until we bought this house among huge white oak trees. I have always been a tree lover, but......oak trees are dirty all year round. I guess I won't mention this when we sell our house!!!

very heavy in Acton, Mass with our one and only red oak.

I live in Waco Texas. In the 25 years we have lived in our home with two very large (old) liveoak trees i have never experience the tremendous amount of acorns. we have had large crops from time to time but his year is exceptional. across town where i work the oak tees are doing the same. it is amazing. the amount of nuts has caused me to wonder which kind are eatable.

I'm trying to find some large acorns for crafts. If anybody has any I would be interested in them. The top of the kind I want has a pine cone look.