10,000 Years of Midwest HazelnutsWhen most people picture the Midwest, they see corn and soy as far as the eye can see. But before there were farms, there were forests, and before there were plows, there were prairies! Forests, prairies, and the vastly diverse transition zone: the oak savanna.
Some of the most nutritious and delicious foods come from this ecosystem. They have sustained people and animals alike for thousands of years while improving – not degrading – the health of Midwest soil and waterways. The American hazelnut is one such superfood.
We have hazelnuts in the Midwest?!
You betcha. But the hazelnuts growing here are distinct. Midwest Hazelnuts are smaller, sweeter, and bursting with flavor compared to the European hazelnuts most are familiar with. As lovers of good food, we are eager to share the pleasure of these freshly roasted kernels with you, just as much as we're eager to restore farmland with the deep-rooted bushes they grow on.
Given the delicious flavor, nutritional value, and ecological benefits, it might seem like a no-brainer to build an industry around American hazelnuts. But turning a wild plant into a crop that farmers can rely on takes work – about a century of it.
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Mike's hazelnut farm in Dayton, Minnesota
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Back in the early 1900s, plant breeders began crossing the wild American hazelnut with its European cousin, aiming to combine the winter hardiness and disease resistance of the American with the European's larger size and consistent yield. With support from researchers at the Universities of Minnesota and Wisconsin looking to promote climate-smart crops, hazelnuts gradually became a more viable option for Midwest farmers. As word spread among eco-conscious farmers, a small but passionate community began to form. In 2007, the Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Initiative solidified the relationship between the farmers and researchers, bringing them together each year through a conference.
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At the 2010 hazelnut conference the farmers emerged with a shared vision for a grower-owned business that would aggregate hazelnuts from the small farms around the Upper Midwest and turn them into delicious products. This company would be an opportunity to transform the Midwestern landscape – fighting climate change on a meaningful scale while building local food systems and introducing the world to these incredible nuts. In 2014, our collective was born.
So much has happened since then. Our line of products has expanded from the original hazelnut oil and roasted nuts to include hazelnut flour, HazelSnackers, and now, Midwest Munch. Our membership has tripled, and we continue to speak to new growers planting hazels. We built a processing line that efficiently shells and sorts hazelnuts. Amazing local chefs have introduced the world to delicious new hazelnut recipes, and our amazing customers continue to spread the word by hosting epic dinner parties and sharing hazelnut snacks during life's daily adventures.
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Hazelnut growers Pam and Paul make HazelSnackers
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