Growing a walnut garden is a colossal work that is not limited to caring for trees. After all, the purpose of cultivation is to harvest a walnut and sell it profitably.
To obtain a good quality walnut, which has a high value on the market, it is necessary to harvest the crop in time, clean it from the pericarp, dirt and dust, and dry it to the optimum moisture content.
Depending on the area of the garden and the volume of the harvest, some stages may be carried out manually, for example, if this is a home garden, and the owner has the time and effort to manually collect and process the walnut. In other cases, when there is no time for manual labor or it is an industrial garden, special equipment is needed.
Walnuts are harvested in two ways:
- The walnut is harvested from the ground as it matures and falls.
- All ripe walnuts are shaken off the tree with tree shakers. The shaker speeds up and automates harvesting, allowing you to harvest in the shortest possible time.
Peeling the walnut from the pericarp is necessary in order to remove the pericarp and wash off the dyes - iodine, juglone and tannins, which stain the kernel in a dark color. The walnut, cleaned from the pericarp and its remains, is easier to process, it has a higher cost and increased demand.
Walnut peeling machine are used to clean the walnut from the pericarp. Depending on the performance, machines are:
- for home gardens (up to 100 kg/h);
- for small and midle gardens (up to 300 kg/h);
- for large industrial gardens (up to 700 kg/h).
Walnut peeling machine perform a rough cleaning. For a more thorough washing of the walnut, as a result of which 100% of all coloring substances are washed off, a brush washing machine of walnuts, vegetables and fruits is used. This sink will also perform light polishing of the shell and the walnut will meet international quality standards as much as possible.
The collected and cleaned walnut must be dried. Without drying, the walnut will not be able to be stored and will become moldy. Drying a walnut must be approached with all seriousness, otherwise you can lose the entire crop, all the invested effort and finances will be lost in vain. Industrial gardens use walnut dryers. Walnut dryers are made in accordance with all the rules, have temperature control, a timer and a walnut mixing system.
Dried walnuts can be immediately bagged for sale, stored in bulk in storage tanks, or sent for sizing or processing.
The minimum set of equipment for walnut orchards is a walnut peeling machine and dryer. A more complete set includes a tree shaker, a walnut peeling machine, a walnut brush washer, a dryer loading conveyor and the dryer itself.
Depending on the volume of walnuts, it is possible to manufacture individual industrial complexes for washing and drying walnuts for 5-10 or more tons per day.
It is desirable to prepare equipment for harvesting by August. This will allow you to start collecting and processing the walnut in a timely manner. If you are just planning to automate processes in the garden, contact our manager for a free consultation.