Vermont / New Hampshire News

2022 Free Nuts

For the second year, the VT/NH Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) will offer fertile wild-type American chestnut nuts to Chapter members (as long as supplies last). Last year, Chapter President, Doug McLane, piloted the program when 43 Chapter members participated. This year, Tom Estill will run the program from Rutland, VT with help from fellow Board member Evan Fox in Bethel, Vermont.

This offer is free to TACF, VT/NH Chapter members. Each recipient will receive 8 to 10 nuts. If you receive this notice, but are not a TACF member, or a lapsed member, you will have to join (TACF), and thus the VT/NH Chapter, first. Go to https://tacf.org and click on membership.

Last fall, TACF volunteers gathered hundreds of fertile nuts from various chestnut trees around New England. They have been stratifying (hibernating) in refrigerators in moist peat moss all winter and will soon start to sprout. Once you receive your nuts, we will follow up with emails and videos of planting instructions and growing techniques. The nuts should be kept in moist peat in your refrigerator and should be planted outdoors in April or May. However, it would be better to pot them indoors soon after receipt and transplant the seedlings outdoors after the danger of frost. That way, you will have two-month-old seedlings to get a jump on the growing season.

Please keep in mind that these nuts, being wild type American chestnuts, are not blight tolerant. All trees grown from these nuts will be susceptible to chestnut blight. They may live for many years or only a few. However, if you develop chestnut raising skills now, you will be well positioned to plant the blight tolerant strain once it is developed and available for distribution.

Please respond by March 1st if you would like to participate in this ‘free nut’ program by emailing our chapter. Put “chestnut offering” on your email ‘subject’ line. All this will be reviewed later. As a heads-up: If your mailbox is outdoors and temps are below freezing, try to get the mailing package indoors as soon as possible and store the nuts in your refrigerator until planting. Nuts should be potted within a few days of receipt. You will want to have a supply of two-quart milk containers or deep pots and potting soil available. If you need proper size plastic pots we have a supply, so please request them.

Keep in mind that things can go wrong, this is how we learn, and if needed, more nuts will be available in the future. Above all, have fun. Jason and his daughter Elle (in photo) from Litchfield, NH had fun when they participated in the 2021 “Free Nut Offer.”

Thanks for supporting American chestnut restoration!

 

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12 CommentsComment on Facebook

What wonderful work you are doing.

When you guys want volunteers to plant 🌱 baby chestnut 🌰 trees let me know. I will plant in my area and have friends that would love to volunteer

I pray they all will be successfully planted

What do you with with all the nuts?

Which campus?

Where can I get established American chestnut seedlings 🌱 for my property?

What do you do with them after you harvest them? I love to eat them but the worms bear me to them most of the time

Wish I was closer I would love to help .

Where can I purchase chestnut trees I live in ohio harrison county. I have seventy acres and would love to start Chestnuts in this area. Also is this a club that I can join

We want some seedlings to plant in Bedford pa

Send me a few, I've got 5 Acers in Ga.

Do the worms kill the chestnut. Most I found last year had worm holes in the shells or seed part before opening. Dod biopsy on one and saw the little white worm. Made it to the good part. Roasting takes care of them foe eating but will they still grow ??

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4 days ago
The American Chestnut Foundation

Great news: a special Chestnut Chat featuring student flash talks and a virtual poster session is taking place on October 20, 2023. This Chat will provide opportunities for students and professionals alike to share cutting-edge research, explore partnerships, and discuss the many facets of American chestnut restoration through a series of flash talks and a poster presentation. All are welcome to participate – student and professional alike.
There will be special opportunities for students to give flash talks, as well as participate in a student poster competition. This year, students participating in the poster competition must also present a flash talk. We hope you will join us!

Submissions are due by Friday, September 29, 2023. Please visit the link in comments for detailed information.

We encourage you to share this post with any colleagues who may be interested.
... See MoreSee Less

Great news: a special Chestnut Chat featuring student flash talks and a virtual poster session is taking place on October 20, 2023. This Chat will provide opportunities for students and professionals alike to share cutting-edge research, explore partnerships, and discuss the many facets of American chestnut restoration through a series of flash talks and a poster presentation. All are welcome to participate – student and professional alike.
There will be special opportunities for students to give flash talks, as well as participate in a student poster competition. This year, students participating in the poster competition must also present a flash talk. We hope you will join us!

Submissions are due by Friday, September 29, 2023. Please visit the link in comments for detailed information.

We encourage you to share this post with any colleagues who may be interested.

Watch a recording of the live September 15,
2023 Chestnut Chat webinar about Darling
58 regulatory updates.
TACF's Chief Conservation Officer Sara Fitzsimmons and SUNY ESF’s American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project Director Andy Newhouse, along with others, shared the latest updates about the current status of the Darling 58 transgenic American chestnut.

... See MoreSee Less

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