Mountain Grown
Chestnuts
Recreating the lost delicacy of Appalachia
Our Vision/Difference
We seek to recreate this lost delicacy with our small orchard of patented, blight resistant American chestnut hybrids. They are meticulously kept, irrigated by artesian spring water & located high in the rugged Yancey County mountains, where these giants once dominated the landscape.
Our Lost Heritage
Not long ago, the Appalachian Mountains were filled with expansive stands of the ‘giant of the forest’; the great American Chestnut Tree’. However, in 1904 a devastating blight began, destroying them; a blight which persists today. Up until the blight, the American Chestnut tree’s delectable nut was a key part of American holiday tradition. Mel Torme’s ‘The Christmas Song’, also know as ‘Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire’ pays tribute to this era, as it portrays cozy Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays, where the roasted aroma wafted thru America’s homes and streets, and the sweet taste of this unique chestnut was an eagerly anticipated seasonal delight.
Our Offerings
We offer delivery of various amounts/sizes to our local business partners (inquire within.) We also offer mixed sizes (or on special request particular sizes) of 1 lb. or more for pickup (appointment requested). We ship within the continental U.S. (except California, Oregon and Washington) for amounts from 3 to 10 lbs. All sales for 1 to 10 lbs. amounts come in reusable, drawstring cotton bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
Harvest typically starts mid to end of September, lasting about two to three weeks and nuts are available from then through the end of the year (depending on availability).
We hand harvest, meaning we are on the slopes (which are steep, 20° - 35°slope) which is the natural environment of the American Chestnut tree. We use buckets, picking up the nuts as they fall. This means our nuts are not bruised by mechanical harvesting.
We are a small orchard and concentrate on delivering quality rather than quantity. Because of this, we cater to our wholesale customers (high end hotels, restaurants in our vicinity) as well as our faithful collection of discerning retail customers.
You will receive the chestnuts in a breathable (and reusable) cotton bag. This bagful of nuts should immediately go into your refrigerator’s crisper until you are ready to prepare them.
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Latest Blog
Mountain Grown Chestnuts Awarded USDA Grant
WNC farmer, chef, brewer upholding ‘chestnuts roasting on an open fire’ holiday tradition
