Learn more about North Carolina Agriculture
Chestnut Tree
High Rock Farm is currently the largest chestnut orchard in the mid-Atlantic. With over five hundred chestnut trees High Rock Farm produces about 26,000 pounds a year of chestnuts. Harvesting happens between mid September and October. Chestnuts are picked up by hand every day. Once in the barn, the chestnuts go through a cleaning and sorting process. After the nuts are sorted into various sizes the chestnuts are then stored in cold storage. Some of the chestnuts are dried and are sold as kernels. These can be re-hydrated and then used in a wide range of foods and assorted dishes. Many of the nuts are dried and grounded into gluten free flour. Since the chestnut is naturally gluten free, the flour remains gluten free since it is grounded chestnuts with no additives. Chestnuts rank third, among nuts, in demand around the world only tailing peanuts and coconuts. There are several uses for chestnuts in many dishes. Although chestnuts are associated with open fire roasting during the holidays, more and more foodies are discovering the delights of the sweet and buttery flavor of Chestnuts in many dishes-- salads, veggie stir fry dishes over rice, in spaghetti sauce --and more! To prepare, score the nut with an x anywhere on the chestnut, to release the steam from roasting. Soak them in water for five minutes to make them easier to peel before roasting. oven roast for 20 minute at 420 degrees. Dried chestnut kernels can be rehydrated and used in meats, pork, and fish or vegetable side dishes. Chestnut flour is gluten free and can be substituted or blended with other flours for baking. Great pizza dough, pancakes, biscuits, cake, pie crust--any recipe with a flour ingredient. Sugar may be added to “cut” the robust taste of the flour. The uses of chestnuts are endless and fair well from an open fire to side and main dishes at the table.
At the peak of its time the American chestnut tree was one of the most abundant trees in the forest. Chestnuts are trees or shrubs in the genus Castanea, and are in the same family as oaks and beeches. There are four species of Chestnut trees including the American, European, Japanese, and Chinese chestnut tree. The American chestnut tree was killed off by the chestnut blight between 1920 and 1950, caused by a fungus which entered our country on Asian foliage that was imported to New York around 1900. The European and Japanese trees have little to no blight tolerance and do not produce a high quality nut as the American chestnut tree. The disappearing American chestnut tree played a devastating role not only in the industrial world but affected the wildlife in the Appalachian Hills. People could no longer harvest the timber and sweet tasting nuts they relied on for food.
In 1953, a professor of linguistics in North Carolina, Dr. Robert T. Dunstan grafted the scions or buds from an old American chestnut tree growing in Salem, OH onto Japanese chestnut rootstock. Dr. Dunstan then back crossed to the American and Chinese parent trees. Today, chestnuts can now be found growing in orchards in several areas across the United States. These trees are typically a hybrid or Chinese/American Chestnut tree and are blight and ink resistant.
Chestnut Season: Mid September-November 15 Preorder to guarantee your order for 2021!
At the peak of its time the American chestnut tree was one of the most abundant trees in the forest. Chestnuts are trees or shrubs in the genus Castanea, and are in the same family as oaks and beeches. There are four species of Chestnut trees including the American, European, Japanese, and Chinese chestnut tree. The American chestnut tree was killed off by the chestnut blight between 1920 and 1950, caused by a fungus which entered our country on Asian foliage that was imported to New York around 1900. The European and Japanese trees have little to no blight tolerance and do not produce a high quality nut as the American chestnut tree. The disappearing American chestnut tree played a devastating role not only in the industrial world but affected the wildlife in the Appalachian Hills. People could no longer harvest the timber and sweet tasting nuts they relied on for food.
In 1953, a professor of linguistics in North Carolina, Dr. Robert T. Dunstan grafted the scions or buds from an old American chestnut tree growing in Salem, OH onto Japanese chestnut rootstock. Dr. Dunstan then back crossed to the American and Chinese parent trees. Today, chestnuts can now be found growing in orchards in several areas across the United States. These trees are typically a hybrid or Chinese/American Chestnut tree and are blight and ink resistant.
Chestnut Season: Mid September-November 15 Preorder to guarantee your order for 2021!