Two weeks ago, the OH and I drove up to Lynden in Northern Washington to visit a wonderful hazelnut farm. Holmquist hazelnuts are located right beside the Canadian border -the edge of the orchard literally runs parallel to zero avenue in Canada.
This farm is a family business and the Holmquists have been producing hazelnuts for five generations. All those years ago, the Holmquists actually started out in the dairy business. They gradually moved into producing hazelnuts and gave up the dairy farm, but they still make use of the old cow chains by hanging them on the hazelnut trees, to remind them which rows they’re working on.
Brian Holmquist looks after the orchard along with his father Gerald, while his brother looks after the accounts. Brian gave us a tour of the farm, and we were joined by his dogs Lola and Champagne. As well as being pets, these dogs earn their keep as twenty-four hour squirrel patrol. As we walk through the farm, both dogs are on high alert looking for pesky squirrels. (It was something like a scene from the film ‘Up’!) Lola is the more intelligent of the two, but Champagne on the other hand has boundless energy, better eyesight and a killer instinct. Together, they do a nice job keeping the squirrel population at bay.
It’s a beautiful balmy, warm day as we walk through the orchard and I can’t help marvel at how pretty hazelnut trees are with all that dappled sunlight. The Holmquists grow the DuChilly variety of hazelnuts, which is a magnificently sweet hazelnut with a very thin skin. They taste divine, but unfortunately the DuChilly variety is more prone to disease than others, which makes life tough on the farm. They recently had to cull a whole section of the mature hazelnut orchard and replant new trees in their place. It will take at least ten years for the new tress to mature and provide a harvest. Ten years is a long time, though not that long when you consider the farm is nearly ninety years old.
The farm is steeped in history with evidence of old dairy machinery repurposed mixed with the modern equipment to harvest the nuts. Machinery has changed, and their new tractor can now harvest the nuts much faster than the old one. However, the art of growing hazelnuts and tending the farm remains much the same. There is a sense of timelessness about Holmquist farm. Despite all the changes that have happened with modern technology, the beautiful mature orchard is proof of a long and enduring family history. Brian recalls the history of the farm as we walk around, where the barn used to be (yes, the Holmquist’s just picked up a barn and moved it to the other side of a small lake), the age of each of the orchards, and what it was like to grow up on a hazelnut farm. He jokes that there are not many pictures of him as a young boy, but there are plenty of pictures of the hazelnut trees.
As we walk back to the car, I look down and notice the most beautiful coppery brown path consisting of broken hazelnut shells. It has that wonderful satisfying crunch of gravel, but looks much more magical. Hazelnut shell driveways are becoming increasingly popular here in the states. In fact Brian says it’s sometimes easier to sell the shells than the nuts themselves.
It was great to see and appreciate how much time and effort goes into producing these delicious nuts. When we visited, the hazelnuts were just turning a pale shade of milky brown. I can imagine the orchard will look even more beautiful come harvest time. It’s fantastic to think that these nuts are grown in this very state. I love cooking with their hazelnut flour and the hazelnut oil they make is divine, especially in salads. Brian mentioned that he once used the oil to make fries, and of course my eyes lit up – hazelnut fries! Most of all though, I love snacking on their roast hazelnuts and I am very glad that I get to enjoy these delicious nuts, and not the pesky squirrels, thanks to Lola and Champagne!
This review of Holmquist Hazelenuts is not sponsored, I just happen to be a big fan. You can buy Holmquist hazelnut products online, or if you live in the state of Washington, you can find them at these local farmers markets .
