It's been a long time since I experienced something as painful as picking up the ball of razor-sharp spikes in my backyard in Newburgh.

Living in the Hudson Valley for as long as I have, I was surprised that I had never found one of these tiny weapons before. After some digging, however, I found out that these needle balls were just another side effect of autumn in New York.

A chestnut shell
The sharpest thing in your backyard isn't a tiny hedgehog but a needle-sharp shell from a particular tree (TSM Poughkeepsie)
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Painful "Spike Balls" in the Hudson VAlley

Fall in the Hudson Valley can be challenging for several reasons, but the constant inundation of falling leaves is at the top of the list. It seems like as soon as your yard is raked clean, a gust of wind comes and covers your grass once again. Now, an actual hazard has joined the fray.

A chestnut shell
The spikes of this shell are sharp enough to draw blood (TSM Poughkeepsie)
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Spiky Shells from a Chestnut Tree

The spike balls, which resemble tiny baby hedgehogs, are actually the outer shells of chestnuts. The good news is that even though you might draw blood when you pick one up, the chestnuts inside are edible. There's a very special way to get the nuts from inside its spiky exterior.

A chestnut shell
Chestnut trees drop their nuts in the autumn. It's important to take care of their sharp spikes (TSM Poughkeepsie)
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How to Safely Open Chestnuts

Chestnuts are easiest to open after they begin to crack. Then, it's suggested to either open them with your feet ("stand on the husk, one foot on each side, until it splits and the chestnuts pop out") or by simply handling them with thick gloves.

Japanese Chestnut vs. American Chestnut

The chestnuts found in the Hudson Valley are most likely from a Japanese chestnut tree, as the American chestnut was nearly wiped out by a fungus in the early 1900s. Another spiky nut, however, is poisonous and should not be eaten.

Conkers from a horse chestnut tree
Horse chestnut trees drop similar buts called conkers, although they are poisonous to humans and dogs (Canva)
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Horse Chestnut Trees in New York

Similar to chestnuts, seeds of the horse chestnut tree, called conkers (above), are also covered in spikes. Unlike the chestnut, conker shells have smaller, stubby spikes, and the nut inside is poisonous to both humans and dogs.

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Located in Willow, New York this Airbnb inside the trees is worth the trip!

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