Being in the oak business we like to think we have a passion for all things oak, but it seems now that we have been outdone by this acorn collector from Somerset. After 20 years of collecting, David Bendon has picked what is thought to be his 10 millionth acorn.

All of the acorns he collects are picked by hand on the Nettlecombe Estate in Exmoor. These acorns are harvested from trees, which have been selected for their size and health, and then sold to nurseries.

On cold wet days, Mr Bendon told how it was “pretty horrible” but “one day these small acorns will be big magnificent oaks and what a legacy to leave”. With, on average around 200 acorns to a kilo, David has been able to calculate that he is very close to the 10 millionth mark.

The Nettlecombe Oak trees were once “famous across the country” and it is actually believed that the ships that defeated the Spanish Armada were built from Nettlecombe oak. Special thanks to Naturalsciences.org for the above image.

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