Inspirations

Two articles from Italy describe the global hazelnut market. It may be encouraging that significant growth is expected. But what does this mean for the German market and the cultivation of hazelnuts? Can the development of new products create space for more cultivation in Germany, like MELINDA?

Annett Klötzing from mushroom manufacturer Steinbiß recently sent us a photo of a 'lion steak' - it's the hedgehog's beard/lion's mane, mushroom of the year 2026.

Nuts and chestnuts - the stars of fall, 19.10.2025 (30 min.)
Now they are ripe again and falling from the trees: nuts and chestnuts are real stars in the fall. We are guests at the Stirm family' s nut oil mill in Rielingshausen. After the harvest, the nuts are washed, dried, sorted, shelled and then pressed by hand. The walnut orchard in Endingen am Kaiserstuhl is not just home to a large walnut tree. The owner also uses its fruit to conjure up delicious pastries such as walnut taler and walnut gugelhupf. A few kilometers further on, in Sasbach-Leiselheim, Matthias Schott runs a tree nursery that specializes in the propagation of walnut and hazelnut trees. The Palatinate is known for its many chestnuts. You can learn lots of interesting facts about them on an adventure hike on the Keschdeweg near Maikammer. Chestnuts are also a popular culinary delicacy. They go well with soups, salads and as a side dish for duck and goose. We get tips for chestnut dishes from Leinsweiler Hof.

Walnut harvest in Westeregeln, 13.10.2025 (2:38 mn.)
In the 1980s, a walnut grove with many different varieties from several countries was planted in Westeregeln. It is currently harvest time here in the Salzland district. With Vivian Böllersen, Walnussmeisterei.

Hazelnut cultivation in Hesse, 15.09.2025 (2 min.)
Hazelnuts also grow well in this country - but most of them come from abroad. Only a few farmers in Germany grow them. One of the pioneers is organic farmer Andreas Senckenberg from Groß-Gerau.

No chance for the domestic hazelnut? 20.08.2025 (2:22 min.)
Bad news for chocolate fans: nougat is becoming more expensive - due to the poor hazelnut harvest in Turkey. Couldn't manufacturers fall back on local nuts? We asked Viba in Schmalkalden. With Dr. Martin Penzel, TLLLR.

Schmidt Max cracks the nut, 12.01.2025 (29 min.)
Nuts should ideally be part of our daily diet. For the most part, we import these tasty snacks, although hazelnuts and walnuts also grow in Bavaria. But what is the best way to harvest, store, crack and enjoy this healthy nut energy? With Prof. Dr. Dominikus Kittemann, HSWT.

The walnut cracker - superfood from Mecklenburg, 22.01.2024 (30 min.)
For two families in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, almost everything revolves around walnuts. The Engelien couple are fulfilling their dream of having their own walnut plantation with 500 trees. The von Leesen family processes walnuts into a healthy, crunchy muesli, which is produced sustainably and delivered by bicycle. The walnut pioneers show what can be extracted from the nuts. In the "Nordreportage", the two walnut specialists from Brahlstorf and Schwerin get to know each other and reveal why they have taken the walnut so much to heart.

The walnut village of Sammenheim, 19.11.2022 (11 min.)
Sammenheim in Middle Franconia is THE Franconian walnut village par excellence. There are 350 inhabitants and 220 walnut trees here, probably the only nut cracking machine in Bavaria and a nut oil press. The people of Sammenheim make nut butter, liqueur and pasta from the walnuts - all as part of a cooperative that benefits everyone.

Nut enjoyment in Franconia: A visit to the hazelnut farmer, 01.10.2019 (4 min.)
Hazelnuts - we usually get them from California or Turkey. You probably haven't heard much about German or even Franconian hazelnuts. But something is happening when it comes to nuts. We Franconians even have the largest hazelnut variety trial field in Germany. Naturally, we took a look around. With Martin Stiegler, FrankenGenuss.