I didn't see this on runktrun's Gizmos thread, but it might have been there somewhere.

Lee Valley sells a Nut & Fruit Gatherer that looks like it might work.

{{gwi:1067407}}

Claire

How about using a Shop-Vac??

Ginny,
I have tried the shop-vac mine didn't suck up grass but it did suck up moss in my moss garden and of course sucked up mulch. I have been meaning to purchase one of these for my moss garden and I think tonight is the night. I didn't know Lee Valley sold them I had the following links in my file. I will let you know in a few weeks what I think.
http://nutwizard.com/
http://www.seedsandsuch.com/bag-a-nut_main.htm
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/pecantool.html

Thanks!--Will look forward to your report.

I, too, look forward to the report. It also looks like a handy gadget for setting up BINGO! night for the squirrels. Perhaps if the squirrels played a whole lot of ACORN BINGO! they would become slothful and sedentary and take a break from the birdfeeder gymnastics.

Thought I would share that I went ahead and ordered the tool from Nut Wizard as it is the same tool sold at Lee Valley but $4.00-$5.00 cheaper when factoring shipping.

I called to place the order and LOVED the folks, their primary business is selling tree seed so when they saw this tool which the seed collectors use to gather acorns ect. they loved it so much they decided to sell it as well.

The cage is made from a metal called piano wire which allows it to spring open when it comes across a nut. The best time to pick up the nut are soon after they have fallen and when the grass is short. You do not apply pressure but roll it back and forth. For those acorns that are buried half way into the soil you may have to roll it back and forth but it will pick it up.
The tool comes with a piec of metal that you sit on the edge of your pail or gabage can and it spreads the spokes so the open wide enough to empty the acorns into your pail.
I should have this by next thursday so I will report further then.

**It is helpful if you know the variety of Oak you have as it will help determine the size best suited for your needs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nut Wizard

That sounds very promising, Runktrun. And the seller as well. We are waiting with bated breath for a working report.

I'd love to know the story behind the invention of this thing. What a great country!

> It also looks like a handy gadget for setting up BINGO! night for the squirrels.

LOL! I think this is the perfect use for this gadget.

Using it on a lawn of any size is going to be terribly slow and mightily frustrating, I bet. It would be enough to convince me that acorns can just be ignored (if I didn't already think so, that is).

Not when they're in the thousands and virtually paving the ground, dtd.

I'm picturing a lawn maintenance crew, maybe ten workers, rolling ten nut gatherers in an unbroken line side-by-side, collecting acorns and making clean swaths in ginny's lawn. The rattling sound of the acorns in the cages is overwhelming and makes a fine back-up to the nut-gathering chanties the workers are singing.

Claire

ROTFL, Claire. Waiting to hear some nut-gathering chanties.

Sorry for the delay in reporting back to but I am still unsure of what to say about this tool and until fall can only offer you a partial review. As it happens the rodents (I would like to believe squirrels) went to town on all of my acorns and just left behind the caps which are still a messy nuisance in a moss garden and were picked up by the nut wizard, but the rate of pick up verses hand pick up was slower than I thought it should be. This could also easily be a matter of finesse as it takes some time to figure out not to roll the Nut Wizard either too fast or slow. It was very simple to release the gathered nuts into a pail or garbage can.
I should mention this is a hand made in America tool that in my opinion is very high quality. If you would like more immediate info I would suggest calling them at 1-888-321-9445 as I mentioned before they seemed to be very knowledgeable and forthcoming. I will report back with more info in the fall.
*Waiting with anticipation to hear some nut-gathering chanties as I don't believe my neighbors have enough to mumble under their breath about what I am doing in my yard.

Thanks for following up, Runktrun, and for the tip about using Runktrun's Gizmo--as it will forevermore be known here--at the right speed. Still tons of acorns here and I'm hoping that when we start mowing, the mower will pick them up. Looks like I will have to add another stanza or two to the acorn chanty.

I usually ignore my acorns, even though they number in the millions, lol. I let my husband or son deal with them when they mow the grass, with a simple reminder to wear shinguards and eye protection.

You could always put an ad on freecycle targeting deer hunters. Supposedly deer like acorns and hunters will collect them. My husband's friend once was more than happy to hand pick buckets full of acorns. You would have thought he won the lottery, he was so excited when he saw all the acorns, lol.

:)
Dee

Alas, I think everyone in my area has lots of acorns, including any hunters. A good thought tho.

I use a wet/dry vac to pickup the acorns. You either have to take the filter out or clean it quite often because it will get clogged up with debris.