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Hunt 4 the Hickory 2025

Unlocking the Potential of Yellowbud Hickory Oil

Yellowbud Hickory offers one of the highest natural oil contents of any native nut tree while requiring far fewer inputs. It is remarkably resilient to drought, floods, and frost, making it an ideal species in a changing climate. At the same time, it strengthens biodiversity, protects forests, and sustains local communities. Through careful stewardship and collaborative harvesting, we can conserve native woodlands while boosting Vermont’s agricultural economy.

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Benefits of the Program

Balancing Conservation & EconomyA Premium Oil with Market PotentialResilient & Community-Driven
Landowners retain ownership while supporting conservation; harvested nuts generate tax-deductible donations and future revenue.Yellowbud Hickory oil has 75–80% kernel oil content, a light nutty flavor, and offers similar health and gourmet benefits as Walnut oil, but with stronger conservation value.Yellowbud Hickory thrives from zones 2 to 9, tolerating drought, floods, and frost. Its harvest is powered by local volunteers, conservation districts, and a decentralized network of processors.

How It Works

  1. Identify Trees – Using satellite data & local knowledge, we locate mature Yellowbud Hickory stands.
  2. Secure Licenses – Landowners grant access under a simple, renewable agreement that protects rights while enabling harvest.
  3. Harvest & Aggregate – Volunteers and district partners collect nuts and store them in climate-controlled units.
  4. Press & Share – Nuts are pressed into oil; profits support conservation, farmers, and local economies.
Balancing conservation and economy; landowners support conservation; harvested nuts aid donations and revenue. Hunt 4 the Hickory 2025.
By increasing awareness of the value of this species we hope to encourage landowners to actively manage their existing stands and participate in a decentralized Yellowbud Hickory oil production network.
Yellowbud Hickory oil: 75-80% kernel oil, nutty flavor, health benefits, conservation value over Walnut oil. Vermont promotion.
Local production reduces transportation cost & carbon footprint. Could build on conservation-friendly branding (forest stewardship, biodiversity). Complements the existing walnut oil model while targeting a new niche (indigenous species, wild harvesting).
Promotional poster for Vermont conservation, focusing on Yellowbud Hickory, resilience, and community-driven harvest initiatives.
partners conduct annual maintenance harvesting activities of existing stands of YB Hickory on farms, in parks, and in suburban areas
Vertical split image: Left shows a dense green forest and canopy; right shows a heat map with red, green, and beige patterns.
We contracted with Terra Genesis to combine environmental, soil, and tree data to understand patterns that would help identify clusters of Yellowbud Hickories:
Satellite view of a landscape with a river, farmlands, and what appear to be wildfires or controlled burns near forested areas.
To build and test our analysis, we use real-world tree records: Yellowbud Hickory: ~3,300 confirmed locations ; Other Species (absence data, ~100,000 points):
People standing and sitting around a large tree in a wooded area.
Two people outdoors; one is holding a handful of animal droppings and appears surprised or amused.
A group of people lying in a circle around a basket filled with small fruits or nuts, outdoors.
Dark bottles with corks arranged on a table, surrounded by small round objects and scattered leaves.
Informational flyer about Yellowbud Hickory: an olive-like tree suitable for temperate climates, with oil facts and benefits outlined.
Informational page about yellowbud hickory, its uses, growth conditions, benefits, and oil production locations.
Balancing conservation and economy; landowners support conservation; harvested nuts aid donations and revenue. Hunt 4 the Hickory 2025.
Yellowbud Hickory oil: 75-80% kernel oil, nutty flavor, health benefits, conservation value over Walnut oil. Vermont promotion.
Promotional poster for Vermont conservation, focusing on Yellowbud Hickory, resilience, and community-driven harvest initiatives.
Vertical split image: Left shows a dense green forest and canopy; right shows a heat map with red, green, and beige patterns.
Satellite view of a landscape with a river, farmlands, and what appear to be wildfires or controlled burns near forested areas.
People standing and sitting around a large tree in a wooded area.
Two people outdoors; one is holding a handful of animal droppings and appears surprised or amused.
A group of people lying in a circle around a basket filled with small fruits or nuts, outdoors.
Dark bottles with corks arranged on a table, surrounded by small round objects and scattered leaves.
Informational flyer about Yellowbud Hickory: an olive-like tree suitable for temperate climates, with oil facts and benefits outlined.
Informational page about yellowbud hickory, its uses, growth conditions, benefits, and oil production locations.

 

Project Partners

Northern Forest Foods/Yellowbud Farm ·  White River NRCD · Sullivan County NRCD

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