In Arkansas, there are over 360 species of woody plants, 190 of which can be considered trees, though many of these could be considered shrubs and woody vines. In Arkansas, the largest tree family represented is the oak family or Quercus species of which there are twenty-nine. Of course, besides the wood of these trees, the best thing to harvest is the acorns which come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Acorns are not only important to wildlife but are rich in protein, fats, minerals, and carbohydrates. More specifically, one ounce of shelled acorn meat contains nearly 110 calories, consisting of about 7 grams of fat, about 2 grams of protein, and a small amount of calcium.
The most important step is to leech the tannin out of the nuts which can be accomplished in several ways. The leeched nuts can then be ground into a flour or roasted and ground into a coffee. To leech out the tannin, simply put the shelled, crushed nuts in a large jar and fill it up to the top with water. Let them sit until the water has darkened and then strain out the water and repeat until the water doesn’t change colors, approximately four to five times. You can also put them in something like a cheesecloth and put them in running water for a few days. One author suggests running them through a coffee maker until they no longer taste bitter, not letting them dry in between cycles. Also, do not grind them too fine or this powder will clog the coffee maker. Mark Vorderbruggen notes that White Oaks produce the least bitter nuts followed by Red Oaks, though these still need leeched of tannins.
Our next tree is not as revered as it once was – the Hackberry tree, or Celtis species, a member of the Elm family. Not only are these trees abundant, but they produce a bounty of small berries that can be eaten raw, dried, or as preserves, containing a modest amount of protein and calories. The easiest way to identify the Hackberry is the warty growths on its bark and its delicate foliage. One author states that most of our ancestors owe their lives to the fruit of the hackberry, the oldest-known foraged food, having been found in the grave of “Peking Man,” an anthropological specimen that dates to over 500,000 years ago. Since then, any culture that arose around hackberries used them as a main source of calories until recently in history. The seeds of hackberries are edible, but extremely hard, so to avoid any broken teeth, grind up the berries in something like a mortar and pestle and it makes an energizing paste. This can be toasted in to a bar, making it the world’s first ‘power bar.’ Furthermore, the seeds can be crushed and or blended into water to make a drink that is similar to almond milk. And if you don’t have something to crush them with, simply eat off the sweet flesh and spit out the seed.