Press Seed and Nut Oils at Home

Cooking and Preserving

Apr 14

Written By Steven Biggs

Bevin Cohen on seed and nut oils — Bevin Cohen from Small House Farm talks about how to make your own seed and nut oils.

Make Seed and Nut Oils at Home

Our guest today makes oils from a wide range of nuts and seeds.

Bevin Cohen runs Small House Farm in Michigan, where he specializes in oils, seeds, and cosmetics.

Home Oil Pressing

Cohen says home oil pressing gives fresh oil with superior flavour to oils that are mass produced.

He explains how to press small batches of oil at home.

Oil Seeds for Northern Gardeners

In this episode, Cohen talks about how to press oil from:

Flax
Hemp
Walnut
Pumpkin
Black currant
Borage
Watermelon

The Whole Nut or Seed

Leftovers from oil production of some seeds provides “seed cake” that can be used for cooking. Examples are pumpkin seed cake and walnut seed cake.

Shelling Tip

Trying to sort black walnut shell from nut pieces? Put them in water.

Shell fragments float, while the nut meat sinks.

Book about Seed and Nut Oils

Bevin Cohen's book, The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils — Bevin Cohen’s new book, The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils.

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Steven Biggs

Recognized by Garden Making Magazine as one of the "green gang" of Canadians making a difference in horticulture, Steven Biggs is a horticulturist, former college instructor, and award-winning broadcaster and author. His passion is helping home gardeners grow food in creative and attractive ways.

He’s the author of eight gardening books, including the Canadian bestseller No Guff Vegetable Gardening. His articles have appeared in Canada’s Local Gardener, Mother Earth News, Fine Gardening, Garden Making, Country Guide, Edible Toronto, and other magazines.

Along with over 30 years working in the horticultural sector and a horticultural-science major at the University of Guelph, Steven’s experience includes hands-on projects in his own garden including wicking beds, driveway strawbale gardens, and a rooftop tomato plantation—to the ongoing amusement of neighbours.

When not in the garden, you might catch him recording his award-winning Food Garden Life podcast or canoeing in Algonquin Park.