All about Holt's Nut Wizards

Now that Labor Day has come and gone, we turn our thoughts to fall and all the joys it brings.  This is my favorite season because I love Halloween and pumpkins and all the fun that's to be had at this time of year.  Here at Southern Garden Tools, we shift our thoughts from pea shellers and corn creamers to cider press and grinders and nuts!  We have a thriving nut business and today, let's discuss our most popular nut products-- the Holt's Nut Wizard.

Now, if you've never seen one of these nut harvesting tools, let's take a look.

Holt's Nut Wizards-- the ultimate nut picker upper-- come in a variety of sizes and we will get to that.  But first, the basic components of a nut wizard is the football-shaped basket, the triangle-shaped bale and the wooden handle.  The basket is composed of flexible wires that are press-fitted into metal cores on each end.  These wires hold firm and do not break away from the ends as you roll over your nuts.  The bale simply holds the nut picker upper basket in its grip firmly and screws into the pole.  The handles vary in color from blue to yellow to wood depending on the size.

Let's get to sizes. We have nut wizards for all types of nuts/similar size objects including pin acorn, chinquapin, small acorns, pecans, hazel nuts, crab apples, bitternuts, large acorns, English walnuts, spent brass, shotgun shells, golf balls, black walnuts, sweet gumballs, apples, pears and even tennis balls!  Don't see your nut need listed?  Just contact us for expert advice. 

We hear from customers who say-- why can't I buy a Large Nut Wizard for pecans-- that way, I can pick up more?  Well, it doesn't quite work that way.  The nut rollers are designed specifically for the type of nut listed.  If you bought that Large Nut Wizard for pecans, you would find that they may become trapped in the basket for a very short period of time and then fall out because the wires are spaced too far apart to hold in that smaller nut.

There is another accessory that is available for these nut harvesters-- the "emptying tool" or the unloader or as we call them around here, the dumper.  The dumper tool costs just $4 when ordering alongside of a Holt's Nut Wizard and they assist in being able to empty the roller basket without touching the nuts (which can be very helpful for nuts like black walnuts-- which have a very icky substance on them!).  The dumper is easier to show how to use than explain.  Let's look.

The dumper has two "legs" that fit on to a five gallon bucket.  Your nut roller basket slides down on the protruding end of the dumper and the wires spread, allowing the collected nuts to dump into the bucket.  That simple!  A very handy accessory to the nut harvesters.

 Nut Wizards are really easy to use.  Check out this customer video!  You can also check out the instructions right here!

There are imposters... those weasels!  But Holt's is the original nut picker upper and is American-made-- simply built to last.  You can't say that about those other garden people.  

That's the conclusion of our what's what's with Holt's Nut Wizard Picker Uppers.  Feel free to comment or email us with any questions.  You can own your own nut rollers by shopping right here.  Oh-- and enjoy that free shipping! 

Have you checked out our Pearce Brothers Nut Crackers? No? You are nuts!

Hey loyal readership!  Have you checked out our Pearce Brother Cracking Machines?  If you haven't, you are nuts!  Pun intended!  Check out these powerful nut crackers that crack pecans, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and English walnuts.  Need 35lbs per hour?  We can handle it!  200lbs per hour?  We can handle that too!  We even have cleaners.  Now is the perfect time to order these commercial nutcrackers-- do it before the season starts!  Questions?  Hit us up and we will lend our expert advice.  Email us at hello@855sheller.com.  Meanwhile, check out these crackers in action right here. 

The Calm Before The Storm....

It's been a bit of a quiet week here at Southern Garden Tools but we know what this means.  A week or two of quiet before the phones start lighting up as people realize that nut season is approaching.. or arrived.  Nut season is very busy here and for good reason-- we literally stock some great nut products.  If you need a nut picked up, we have a solution for you.  We sell everything from $21.95 Griffith Pecan Gatherers (these are great for those who like to take a walk and collect pecans or go out by the backyard pecan tree with the kiddos) up to the heavy duty 36" double wheel, double basket Bag-A-Nut Nut Picker Uppers.  These hook up to your mower/ATV and roll behind you as you drive along comfortably.

These aren't just for pecans-- we have them for black walnuts, acorns, filberts/hazelnuts, almonds, chestnuts, English walnuts, hickory nuts, macadamias-- and even sweet gum balls (aren't they annoying), golf balls and pine cones!  They will run you about $750 and that includes shipping.  But truly-- you will make that money up in extra harvested nuts!  It picks up nuts you can't even see.  Trust me that we have plenty of products between the $21 and the $750.  Just check us out and let me know if you have any questions.

What good would it be to have a whole bunch of nuts but no way to crack them?  We have that too!  We have the basic hand crackers that you place a nut in and squeeze... all the way up to electric crackers.  If you've ever tried to crack a black walnut... then you know it can be next to impossible.  Not with our Drill cracker!  And have 10 tons of pecans but don't relish the thought of cracking them?  Our Kinetic Kracker can do 1,560 pecans per hour.  So those 10 tons... they don't look so laborious anymore.


We are nuts about nuts and this season is personally my favorite.  Fall is the best!  Pumpkins and nuts and leaves and cooler weather-- count me in!  So we can handle this calm before the storm.  But nut season draw near, my friends, and let us help you be ready for it! 

Cherry Nut Bread

Holiday season is fast approaching. For me, that means a lot of social gatherings. I hate showing up empty handed without a gift for my host or hostess. They have come to expect some sort of goody from me. This Cherry Nut Bread is a BIG hit! Wrap it in pretty tissue paper or colorful saran wrap, tie it up with a ribbon, and let the gift giving begin. This Taste of Home recipe is my go to every time!

Ingredients:
Yield: 4 loaves (16 slices each)

2C butter, room temp

3C sugar

5 eggs, seperated

1t pure vanilla extract

5C all-purpose flour

1t baking soda

½t baking powder

½t salt

1C buttermilk

2 jars (10oz each) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

1C chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks & vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk until just blended. Batter will be thick.

3. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter, then fold in cherries and pecans.

4. Transfer into 4 greased and floured 8in x 4in loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and loaves are golden brown.
5.Cool for 10 minutes before removing loaves from the pan onto wire racks.

This quick bread has such a rich and unique flavor. Sometimes, my loaves even have a pink tint to them, which I love.  You can also bake the batter in muffin pans for a handheld treat, just watch them and adjust your time accordingly. You can also swap out the pecans for walnuts or another nut you love. Of course, you can leave them out all together if needed. I have also used fresh cherries when I had them. I pit extras to juice and mix the juice with a little whole milk. I hope you enjoy this bread as much as I do.

When making these loaves, I have a few things in the kitchen that always help me out. To chop nuts I have a great little Nut Chopper that lets me get them as crunchy or fine as I like. For cherries I use a Food Chopper. It is great for fruit, vegetables, cheese, herbs, and even chocolate. When I decide to use fresh cherries for anything..pies, jam, cookies.. I use a Cherry Pitter to save time (and clothes). It neatly pops the pits into a see through container and my pretty cherries into a waiting bowl. My 5lb Kitchen Scale helps me ensure an accurate weight on those cherries, along with many other kitchen prep measurements. I am lucky to live in the South with beautiful pecan trees in my yard. I use a Nut Wizard to gather my pecans and an Electric Pecan Cracker to crack them fast.

You can find all of these items and so much more right on our websites.

www.855sheller.com

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com

www.gardenharvesters.com

A Handful of Nuts a Day to Keep the Dr Away?

It is no secret that nuts are awesome for you. The list of benefits just keeps going. I am coming in contact with an alarmingly increasing number of people who have go Gluten Free or with heart disease, bad cholesterol, and obesity. I don't say alarming because it is odd, but alarming because of the expanse of it. A lot of this can be helped and controlled with our diet. I know I would rather eat a handful of nuts over a handful of medication if I could choose. Nuts are chock full of antioxidants, fiber, unsaturated fat, etc. Here are a few of our favorite nuts and how they can help you. These benefits are most beneficial when eating them raw.

Walnuts:

Do you have problems with inflammation? Arthritis, gout, simply a  pulled muscle. Put away the Ibuprofen and grab Walnuts. They are the original anti-inflammatory because they are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Along with that, you will reap the benefits of the antioxidants, which Walnuts proudly have the most of all nuts, that helps protect your body against premature aging, heart disease, and cancer. Ladies can also put away the Midol and grab Walnuts instead. The manganese they contain can help reduce PMS symptoms.

 

Pecans:

We are located in the deep South and Pecans are a staple here, especially in pie, but to reap the rewards of pecans, try them right out of the shell. Pecans are super rich in antioxidants and are amazing for your heart health. They help prevent plaque formation in your arteries. The vitamin E found in Pecans have the potential to delay the progression of ALS as well.

Brazil Nuts:

These are some of my personal favorites. One package of raw Brazil nuts contain 100% of the daily value of mineral selenium, which may help safe guard against certain cancers like bone, prostate, and breast cancer. A recent study in the Journal of Medicinal Food has linked the selenium found in Brazil nuts with soy as a potential prostate cancer fighter by inhibiting the growth of cancerous cells. Be careful though because too much of a good thing can be a not so good thing. High levels of selenium can be harmful, so stick to a serving size or less.

Hazelnuts:

Besides a great flavoring for coffee or being paired with chocolate, Hazelnuts are rich with monounsaturated fats, which are great for cardiovascular health and to help manage type 2 diabetes. They are also healthy in vitamin E, which will help you maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails and could help prevent cataracts, macular degeneration, and the risk of dementia.

Almonds:

Gut issues? Enjoy Almonds then as they contain the most fiber out of all the nuts at roughly 3grams per ounce. They are also very rich in vitamin E, aid in weight loss, and lower bad cholesterol. Who would have known that this tasty nut can make you feel and look so good?

Grab a handful of your favorite nuts or even try some new ones and enjoy the benefits of them. If you have your own nut trees, we can even help you with that gathering and cracking over at our website, www.855sheller.com/. We have everything from Nut Wizards to make gathering them from the ground a breeze, to electric pecan crackers  to make your pecan cracking and shelling easy, to  hard shelled nut crackers to tame even the hardest nut, and even traditional nut crackers.

Unless you have a nut allergy, then don't be nut free!

Heart Healthy Pecans

Pecan trees are a species of Hickory that are native to Mexico as well as south-central and south-eastern United States. Pecans are not truly nuts, but are actually considered a drupe, which is a fruit with a single pit and surrounded by a husk. When it is time, the husk splits open, revealing the pecan, which will then fall to the ground for you to gather and crack open to enjoy the buttery flavor of the seed inside.

Pecans provide a multitude of health benefits. Ranked among the nuts highest in antioxidants, pecans will aid in subduing blood lipids and coronary heart diseases. Pecans are very heart-healthy thanks to their unsaturated fat content. Each one has 60% mono-saturated  and 30% polyunsaturated fat, which means that only 10% of a pecan has saturated fat. Naturally sodium-free and fiber-rich will make your heart thank you when you add pecans to your diet.

Pecans contain over 19 vitamins and minerals including, but not limited to:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E 
• Vitamins from the B group
• Magnesium
• Folic Acid
• Calcium
• Potassium
• Zinc
• Phosphorus

 Do you have pecan trees in your yard? Lucky you if so! How do you gather them? I love to use my Nut Wizard. It rolls right over my pecans and grabs them up in the wire basket. The Nut Wizard leaves behind sticks, leaves, and grass when it gobbles your pecans.

There are many ways to crack your pecans. We have a few that we particularly love. The traditional Duke's Pecan Cracker will be a favorite for generations to come. Wonderful when you just want a handful of nuts at a time.

 Our Kinetic Kracker electric pecan cracker can easily crack up to 1,560 pecans per hour! Perfect when you have a bucketful of pecans that you would like to crack for pies and candies, or just to put away for later.

When you have large amounts of pecans, or you would like to crack pecan for others, the Pecan Cracking Machine fits the bill. It is able to crack 35lbs of pecans, English walnuts, and peanuts per hour. Portable and perfect to set up at a farmer's market or in your barn to crack a large amount of pecans each season.

You can find all of these rollers and crackers, plus so much more, on our websites.

www.Gardenharvesters.com

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com

www.855sheller.com

Pecan Cracking BEAST!

We have the pleasure of working with a lot of really neat nut crackers. We just linked up with a new manufacturer that produces the Pecan Cracking Machine. This pecan cracker is a beast when it is time to start cracking pecans. So many people take their nuts to commercial cracking houses where they have to stand in line to pay someone else to crack their pecans for them. Whereas that isn't a bad thing, if you need very large quantities of pecans shelled every year it can become quite costly. Maybe you sell pecans from your home, farm, or at a Farmer's Market and would like to answer "Right Here" when someone asks where is the best place to have them cracked. The Pecan Cracking Machine  is portable so it can go where you need to be.

35lb per hour Cracking Machine

Now, you are probably asking yourself, "What makes this cracker so great?". The Pecan Cracking Machine  easily cracks 35lbs of not only pecans, but English walnuts and even peanuts, per HOUR!  This sheller gives 80% - 90% nutmeat halves for Pecans and 90% - 95% nutmeat halves for English Walnuts. That gives you the ability to crack nuts at commercial volumes right in your barn if it pleases you.

Pecans cracked clean from this machine

The Pecan Cracking Machine  is 100% American made! It is durable and sturdy with wheels for easy transport. The Pecan Cracking Machine  is made from a mild steel that has been primed and painted with an oil based paint. This oil based paint aids in the nut cracker's ability to endure many of the outdoor elements and gives longevity when being stored.  It is equipped with a 120-volt gear motor that turns a cage housed motor. This motor is easily adjusted with a hand jack to fit the size of your Pecans, English Walnuts, and Peanuts. Minimal maintenance is required, usually only yearly bearing greasing. To use the Pecan Cracking Machine  simply plug it it, adjust the hand jack using the site reference gauge, flip the on switch, and start manually hand-feeding your English Walnuts or Pecans into the cracking barrel.

English Walnuts cracked clean.

You can find this cracking beast on our websites, along with a selection of manual and electric nut crackers for any size nut you want to crack from acorns, to pecans, to black walnuts. Our electric Kinetic Kracker is a very popular pecan cracker. It is able to shell 1.560 pecans per hour! The Master Cracker is perfect for Black Walnuts and built to last. Or most popular nut cracker is the Get Crackin'. It cracks them all!  Big, small, soft or hard shelled, the Get Crackin' has you covered.


Come on over and check us out!
www.gardenharvesters.com

www.855sheller.com

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com

Pecan Cookie Recipe

Did You Know? 

September 21 is National Pecan Cookie Day

It is no secret that we love Pecans here! We sell all sorts of nutcrackers and Nut Wizards to make gathering, cracking, and shelling them a breeze, but what will you do with them after that? There are endless possibilities. We love to add them into candies, pies, breads, and, of course, cookies. In honor of National Pecan Cookie Day we want to share this recipe from Martha Stewart that is simple and we enjoy.

Butter Pecan Cookies

From: MarthaStewart.com

These delicate, buttery cookies, which get their crunchy texture from toasted pecans and a sugar coating, practically melt in your mouth. Makes 12.

3/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, toast pecans until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely; finely chop.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla, salt, and flour, scraping down sides of bowl, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.

Separate dough into 12 pieces; squeeze dough to shape into balls. Roll in sugar. Place, 3 inches apart, on a baking sheet. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (reshape sides if necessary). Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until golden brown, rotating sheet halfway through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more sugar. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

These little cookies will just melt in your mouth! To chop our toasted Pecans, we use a Nut Chopper. In no time we have all the chopped pecans we could ever want. You can find the chopper on  

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com

If you need help gathering your harvest of Pecans, check out

 www.855sheller.com 

 for all of your nutcracker and nut gathering needs.

Enjoy National Pecan Cookie Day and let us 

know what kind of cookies you made!