Walnuts are falling
Walnut harvest in full flow
Because, at the time of ripening the hard fruits come loose from their shells and drop onto the ground. Walnut tree owners can sing a song about it: the harvest of the nuts is a lot of work. They are collected, washed and then dried.
The drying of the nuts is important, because that is how the fruits can be stored. Furthermore, the walnut cores are surrounded by a skin, which needs to be peeled in non-dried nuts, because it tastes bitter. The bitter taste is lost in the drying process. Without drying, the nut cores get mouldy. The nuts need to be stored cool and dry. Too high temperatures cause the nuts to turn rancid and thus inedible. With appropriate storage conditions, storing them for several months in the shell is possible.
Source: www.rlv.de