WMREC Orchard – Western Maryland Research and Education Center, University of Maryland
This orchard was founded in 2007 as a backcross breeding orchard. The orchard was rogued in 2016 and 2017. A total of 17 of the best trees in 5 family lines were saved. They will cross-pollinate in 2018 to produce B3F2 and B4F2 nuts for our seed orchards. A new orchard will be planted in 2024.
Address:
18330 Keedysville Rd. Keedysville, Washington Co.
Directions:
From Frederick take US 70 west to exit 49 to Alt Rt. 40 West thru Middletown to Boonsboro. In the center of Boonsboro turn left at the stoplight onto Rt 34 west. Travel for 3.5 miles, turn right on Keedysville Road. Travel on Keedysville Rd for 2.4 miles (bear right after second stone bridge). Turn right into WMREC at the entrance sign. Turn right at the first interior road Turn right into the field after passing the deer fence gate. The chestnut orchard is about 200 yards from the road and behind an apple orchard.
Contacts:
John Fleagle – Steward
Doug Price – WMREC staff
Remaining Trees:
Manahan 42A & 43A x AG247 – 2 of original 98
SE 831 x HE 416 – 3 of original 95
SE 51A x ME 536 – 0 of original 118
WMREC 47A x WV1 – 3 of original 71
WMREC 46 A x CH262 – 9 of original 92
Source of resistance:
Clapper
Location:
Maryland Chapter Menu
National Facebook
Join the VA chapter for a science presentation, orchard tour and seed give away! This meeting is open to the public and will take place on December 6th at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve from 1pm-4pm.
Stop by and get some free wild-type American chestnut seeds!
5 CommentsComment on Facebook
What kind of American chestnut seeds?
Very cool! Have fun everyone who can go!
their is one kind only
We are thankful for each and everyone of you!
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Someday hope there will be enough trees to give chestnuts to make dressing.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁🥧🦃🍂
Follow us to learn more about the blight and what to do if this happens to a tree near you!
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I believe I have a few resistant chestnut trees that have produced their second crop of seeds . They are descendants of those once in living in .Valley Garden Park
The American Chestnut Foundation. If we don't figure out the tree of heaven problem then we won't have anything but ailanthus altissima and your research will be a waste.
Send me few, I'll plant them
Holiday cheer is brewing! 🎄🍺 TACF staff joined Sweetbay Brewing’s Patrick Atkins in Abingdon, VA, as he demonstrated how Meadowview-ground American chestnut seeds are being used to craft a rich brown ale for our Chestnuts Roasting & Christmas Market celebration on December 13. Join us for local flavor, music, and chestnut-inspired holiday fun! #AmericanChestnut #SweetbayBrewing #ChestnutsRoasting #HolidayCheers #MeadowviewResearchFarms #AbingdonVA #ForestRestoration
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Kirk🌰🍺!
Join us tomorrow, November 21, 2025, from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (ET), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat webinar.
Our special guest, Dr. Jessica Rutkoski, is a small grains breeder with a talent for explaining the fundamentals of breeding and quantitative genetics. In her talk, she will describe how modern tools such as genomic selection and high-throughput phenotyping can speed up improvement for multiple traits—and how these technologies can be effectively applied to TACF’s American chestnut breeding program. Jessica is a quantitative geneticist and leads the winter wheat breeding program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
To register, visit: tacf.org/event/chestnut-chat-faster-genetic-gain/
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Will be recording be made available later for those of us who cannot attend midday?