She County Walnuts

She County Walnuts

She County walnuts are a protected geographical indication product.

She County walnuts are a protected geographical indication certification trademark.

　　She County is located in a deep mountainous area with limited arable land and scarce water resources, making grain production not its strong suit. However, with 1.57 million mu of mountainous land, utilizing these resources to develop specialty agriculture is a unique advantage of She County. For thousands of years, the region has a long history of walnut cultivation.

　　In 2004, there were 1.08 million walnut trees, and walnut production reached 11.8 million jin, achieving the best historical yield. She County was named the "Hometown of Chinese Walnuts" by the State Forestry Administration. Additionally, leading projects such as the Taihang Walnut City and walnut series product processing advanced smoothly. Ten major agricultural service companies, including forestry and fruit companies and cold breeding companies, became operational. The county’s agricultural industrialization rate reached 53%, an increase of 9 percentage points year-on-year. The added value of agriculture amounted to 288 million yuan, up 7.8% from the previous year.

　　Many regions in China have large-scale walnut plantations, but She County in Handan City, Hebei Province, is one of the areas with a long history of walnut cultivation. Moreover, in 2005, She County walnuts were included in the national protected geographical indication product list, making them among the earliest walnut products in China to receive such protection.

　　She County is located at the southwestern tip of Hebei Province, on the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains, at the junction of Shanxi, Hebei, and Henan provinces. It is a mountainous county whose main agricultural products are forestry and fruit. With superior natural conditions and a suitable climate, She County has a long history of walnut cultivation, believed to date back nearly two thousand years. Its walnuts are high-yield and premium-quality, and are considered one of the “Three Treasures” of She County. Currently, many walnut trees over 500 years old in the county still bear fruit normally. She County is one of the key walnut-producing counties in China.

　　She County produces many varieties of walnuts, among which the thin-shelled walnuts from Shimen and Wencai are of the highest quality. They are characterized by their thin shells, full kernels, golden color, and oil content of up to about 60%. When you hold two walnuts and tap them together, the shells crack, and the whole kernel naturally pops out, displaying brain-like patterns, resembling an exquisitely carved antique. When eaten, they become more fragrant the more you chew, stimulating saliva production.

　　She County walnuts have high economic value. The kernels are rich in protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, as well as carotene, vitamins A, B, and C. Besides being eaten raw, they can be used as ingredients for pastries and candies, and also for oil extraction. Walnut kernels are sweet and warm in nature, and are highly effective in treating certain diseases. According to *Compendium of Materia Medica*, they can “nourish blood, moisten dryness, resolve phlegm, benefit the Mingmen (vital gate), smooth the Triple Burner, warm the lungs, and lubricate the intestines.”