I recently traveled back home to visit my mom for a few days on the family farm in Wythe County, Virginia. I love that farm, which has been in my family for so many generations. The living monument that has stood guard over the farm all these years is a huge black walnut tree. In its younger days, it served as a property marker. In recent years, the graceful old tree has offered a place to hold countless family picnics.
And to every generation, the tree has offered its treasures for each to do with as they pleased.
My grandfather, Homer Umberger, gathered the tree’s walnuts and created unique carvings, like the one you see below. He created a menagerie of carved animals and figures from the walnuts, which will be the subject of a future post, so stay tuned!
My dad gathered the walnuts and cracked them to give away to friends and family who loved to bake with them.
Today I’m gathering my own black walnuts to make dye for my pine needle creations and homespun yarn (more on that in an upcoming post!). It makes me smile to think of all the family history that has played out on this grand green. I hope the old tree will be standing guard, and offering its treasures for many years to come.
Not everyone has an old walnut tree, but we all have something. What do you make with what you have? Share it with us in the comment box below. We’d love to read about it and, with your permission, share it with the Inspiring Handmade family.
A crystal clear Wythe County, Virginia sky offsets the black walnuts used for everything from baking to sculpting to dying homespun yarn. 
The offerings of the black walnut tree lie on the ground at Patti’s family farm in Wythe County, Virginia. She’s using the walnuts to create natural dyes for her art and craft work.