so nice to finally meet you

11 ½ year into making daily images of the flora and fauna of my region, and today i finally meet my first american hazelnut. i have no idea why it has taken this long. they are native to every state east of the mississippi (except florida). my husband, who is getting into northern permaculture, planted two hazelnut saplings on our land this summer. in a couple of years, i am hoping to be far more familiar with these beauties. anyone, who has ever spent any time in france knows how much the french love hazelnuts. hazelnuts are to french food, what peanuts are to american food. nutella, a chocolate-hazelnut spread, it their equivalent to our peanut butter, and eaten in equal quantities. so, after living in france on-and-off for 12 years, i have fully acquired the taste for all things hazelnut. i can’t wait.

american hazelnut (Corylus americana)