Good Times Had at TACF’s 8th Annual Restoration Celebration

Published November 15, 2017

Nature weavings were one of the crafts offered at the celebration.

At the end of the day, all the chestnuts were eaten and the children used up all the leaves and feathers creating nature weavings. Even the chestnut beer was gone!  The 8th Annual Chestnut Restoration Celebration was a roaring success. More than 300 attended on a beautiful fall afternoon, keeping all 22 volunteers busy. Interest in the status of the breeding program was high and, as typical, many wanted to get their hands on potentially blight-resistant seedlings. In addition, there were chestnut stories, such as the 91 year old woman who just wanted to taste roasted chestnuts as she remembered the tree from years ago. The farm crew conducted orchard tours and Ben Jarrett, Southern Regional Science Coordinator, presented the story of the American chestnut to a lively audience.  The October 14th Celebration was sponsored by the Southwest Virginia Restoration Branch of TACF’s Virginia Chapter in collaboration with the Meadowview Research Farms staff.

Attendees enjoyed good entertainment, food, and conversation.

Sara Fitzsimmons in 2005 with Jim Gage, Dr Phil Arnold, Dr Robert Gregg

2005
Sara Fern Fitzsimmons with Jim Gage, Dr Phil Arnold, & Dr Robert Gregg

2006, Sara Fitzsimmons pollinates at Stockers

2006
Sara pollinating at Stockers, PA

Sara rating cankers at Thorpewood

Sara rating cankers at Thorpewood, MD

Sara at the 25th Annual TACF meeting

2008
Sara at the 25th Annual TACF Meeting

Sara and the Graves tree

2009
Sara in the PSU Graves Orchard

Sara Fern Fitzsimmons in the Glenn Swank stump, 2009

2009
Sara in the Glenn Swank stump, PA

Sara at the International Chestnut Symposium, 2012

2012
Sara at the International Chestnut Symposium

Sara in Vermont

2014
Sara with Harmony Dalgleish and the Berlin American chestnut in Vermont

Kendra and Sara in the field

Sara and Kendra Collins working in the field

Sara presenting at the 2022 TACF Spring Meeting

2022
Sara presenting at TACF’s Spring Meeting

Sara (in the rocker) with TACF staff at the Fall Meeting

2023
Sara (in the rocker) with TACF staff at the Fall Meeting

Sara Fern Fitzsimmons

2024
Sara in the Penn State greenhouses