Community & Chestnut Movement
Why We Started The United Chestnuts Test Kitchen
Planting the First Trees: A Personal Beginning When we planted our first chestnut trees at EBB Farms in western Kentucky, I didn’t realize I was joining a movement. At first, it was about the land — building something lasting with my husband, Brad. But over time, we began to see a bigger story unfolding. Chestnuts…
Why More Retirees Are Planting Chestnut Trees
Ideas to create long-term impact, family legacy and income in your 60s and beyond. What do you want your land—and your legacy—to look like 10 years from now? If you’re approaching retirement and asking bigger questions about meaning, money, and what comes next, you’re not alone. Across the country, more people in their 60s are…
What’s Next for Chestnut Growers of America? A Conversation with Roger Blackwell
A Full-Circle Moment There’s something powerful about coming full circle. Roger Blackwell was one of the very first guests on Branching Out: Growing Together nearly three years ago. So much has changed in the chestnut industry since then that it felt like the perfect time to reconnect. When we met at the Chestnut Growers of…
Why I Left My Dream Job at a Berkshire Hathaway Company—for Chestnuts
Yup. I did it. Why did I leave my dream job at a Berkshire Hathaway company for chestnuts? Passion + vision I guess. During a panel at the Chestnut Growers of America / Northern Nut Growers conference, someone asked me: “You’re leaving a corporate dream job to work in the chestnut community?” My answer? “Um,…
Meet Willie Huston and His Farming Roots
Willie Huston Joins Branching Out: Growing Together podcast with host Melanie Jones of United Chestnuts. In this episode of the Branching Out: Growing Together podcast, we sit down with Willie Huston to talk about farming, music, and building a lasting legacy. Willie’s work blends the rhythms of agriculture with the rhythms of song, creating a…
Why Chestnut Farming? How to Find Your “Why”
Why Grow Chestnuts? It Starts with a Question If you’re asking yourself why grow chestnuts, you’re not alone. Every week, I hear from folks at the very beginning of their journey—landowners with a few open acres, new growers considering a tree crop, or curious minds drawn to something deeper than annual agriculture. When folks first…
How One Michigan Family Turned a Backyard Experiment into a Multi-Generational Chestnut Legacy
Scott Smith joins Melanie Jones on Branching Out: Growing Together podcast.
Let’s Talk About the Global Chestnut Industry
Interest in chestnuts in the US is soaring.
Women Leading the Chestnut Industry: Kathy Dice of Red Fern Farm
Kathy joins us as a part of women leading the chestnut industry! Life transitions often push us to ask deeper questions—what do we value, what do we cultivate, and what legacy do we leave? For Kathy Dice of Red Fern Farm, those questions led to a life rooted in sustainability, community, and chestnut farming. In…
From Cow Pasture to Chestnut Orchard: Michael Parks Shares His Journey
Want to know more about Michael Parks chestnut farming? What happens when an old cow pasture meets vision, hard work, and a passion for trees? You get Michael Parks’ inspiring chestnut journey—one that spans decades, innovation, and collaboration. 🎧 Branching Out: Growing Together with Guest Michael Parks🔗 Watch the episode on YouTube In this episode…