• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Nancy Reading
  • Carla Burke
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • paul wheaton
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Liv Smith
  • Leigh Tate
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Maieshe Ljin

Can the cashew be a practical nut at homestead scale?

 
Posts: 336
Location: North Coast Dominican Republic
19
forest garden trees tiny house
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
In the Dominican Repermies, there are at least three different trees the locals call cajuil. The true cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) is their cajuil dulce; more commonly, the mountain-apple (Syzyguim malaccense) is called a cajuil; and I have come across a few who use the name cajuil espaƱol for the ackee (Blighia sapinda), although that is not its usual local name. What these three have in common is the similar appearance of the fruits; usually, Dominican home gardeners use the "cashew apple," not the nut. The reason is that the nut contains a poison ivy compound which must be removed by processing before it is edible.

I have looked up cashew nut processing, and found a Peace Corps training video at the small-factory scale, intended for Africa. But even at that scale, there appeared to be certain specialized equipment that would be cost prohibitive at the scale of a single homestead. Does anyone know of a practical way for an individual homesteader, with only a few cashew trees, to make the nuts edible?
 
pollinator
Posts: 3827
Location: Massachusetts, Zone:6/7 AHS:4 GDD:3000 Rainfall:48in even Soil:SandyLoam pH6 Flat
555
2
forest garden solar
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
As a kid I grew up 'processing' and eating the nut.

If all you have is 100lbs of fruit from 15 or so plants, it is easy.
Make a rocket stove
Place a sheet of metal on top
Place the 'nuts' 1 layer deep on it.
Roast them until they 'explode' releasing the 'oil in then, which catches on fire, then they are safe to eat.

I probably never ate or processed more than a pound at a time. Not too sure what would have happened if I ate lot of it daily.

I am also still not allergic to poison ivy.
 
He's my best friend. Not yours. Mine. You can have this tiny ad:
2024 Permaculture Adventure Bundle
https://permies.com/w/bundle
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic