Has your car been getting pelted with acorns? Have you found yourself running through a hailstorm of walnuts with your hands protecting your head? Chances are the trees in your region are experiencing a mast year.
Nut-bearing trees, like black walnuts, beeches and those acorn-producing oaks, have “on” and “off” years. “On” years, called mast years, see vigorous production of nuts across an entire species throughout a region.
During mast years, a single oak can drop thousands of acorns, forcing you to rake your lawn even before any leaves drop, or sweep your driveway to avoid twisting your ankle while navigating a blanket of marbles.