Black walnuts usually become ripe in September or October. You can harvest them from the ground or shake them off the tree with a pole. Wear gloves when handling black walnuts, since they stain clothes and skin.
Roll the nuts under a heavy boot to dislodge the husks. Roll the nuts under a wooden board or another heavy object. Place the walnuts on a driveway and drive back and forth over them. The husks will come off, but the nuts won’t break.
If there’s no threat of rain, you may dry your walnuts outdoors. Stir them occasionally to promote circulation. [1] X Research source
Pre-condition the shells to make them easier to crack by soaking the nuts in water for two hours, then placing them in a covered container overnight. Crack when the shells are soft. Place the walnuts in a bag and use a hammer to smash the shells. You’ll have to hand-separate the meat from the broken shells. Crack them one at a time by wrapping them in a dish towel and banging them with a hammer.
