“What are you gonna call the vineyard”? “How long before I can get some wine”?  These are the questions snoopy neighbors posed when they first saw my new experiment popping up.  Over two hundred 5 foot tall grow tubes appeared one day covering 3 acres.  My biggest mistake?  I put them next to a gravel road.  The traffic past our cabin increased for a few weeks as everyone tried to decipher the meaning of these strange peach colored tubes.  I have to admit, spaced at 20 feet, covering a large area, it looks like a radio array, or maybe some new type of government weapon!

Fear not my confused fellow farmers!  These are Chestnut trees in the beginning stages.  Chinese Chestnuts to be exact.  Some may be surprised by the fact that American Chestnuts no longer grow in this country.  A blight swept the east coast 100 years ago and took out all of our native Chestnut trees.  We are now limited to the Chinese, European, and Japanese varieties.  After years of testing, the Chinese, and hybrids of the Chinese variety, have proven themselves hardy in Missouri’s constantly changing weather.

Baby Chestnut Trees

Being from pecan country, the next questions I get are usually, “What are you gonna do with them?” and “Is there a market?”  The answers are, “sell them” and “yes”.  Currently the U.S. produces about 2 million pounds of Chestnuts a year.  Falling way short of the demand, we import another 5 million pounds!  Asian and European consumers are a large part of the market, and interest is on the rise with American customers.  The asking price goes from around $3 a pound at a local seller, up to $12 at a fancy market.

Unlike most nuts, Chestnuts are high in water content and low in fat.  The biggest problems facing the “un-nut” may be the moisture content.  They are extremely susceptible to spoilage.  Soon after harvest they must be refrigerated and should be in the refrigerated section at your local food stores.  If they are stacked alongside other nuts at room temperature, you should probably leave them there.

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” is probably the most known method of consumption.  Different methods of storing and drying have allowed new uses for the Chestnut.  Grinding the dried Chestnut provides a gluten-free flour.  Many fine dining establishments us them in soups, salads, and pastas.  A PDF pamphlet is available from the University of Missouri if you would like more information on this unique agro-forestry crop.