The pine cones in nearby areas were gone, but there were still walnuts, magnolia berries, acorns, wild grapes, and such—good stuff indeed. Back when I lived in the village, many children would go up the mountain, so no one would get much. Now things are different; living in the mountains, just outside the ginseng field is the forest, with plenty to forage and in great abundance. As long as you're willing to work for it, there's nothing you can't bring back. This excited Jinghan immensely.
Today, they went to pick walnuts. It's commonly said, "Walnuts in July, pears in August"; walnuts usually start falling by the end of July. However, at that time, they're covered in a green skin that's hard to peel and easily stains your hands black. If you wait until the walnuts fall and sit on the ground for a while, that outer layer rots away, making it much cleaner to pick them up.
