This year I started to notice the oaks producing nuts and them dropping in late august. Now coming onto the end of October I am noticing hardly ANY acorns dropping. There have been only a few individual trees where I have seen a good crop.
Last year we were swimming in acorns.It was a mast year!
Mast Year: a phenomenon when the fruit (mast) produced by trees in a given year is exponentially higher than the average; by extension, a year in which vegetation produces a significant abundance of fruit
However this year there are hardly any.
another great reason as a forager to learn about storing food.
Dry your acorns for a few weeks by a wood stove and they will be shelf stable for a year or so.
Next time there is a mast year stock up so you have acorns for the year where hardly any drop.Watch the cycles.
All the best
Frank