Why We Started
United Chestnuts
and Where We’re Headed
We saw something worth saving —and rebuilding.
Chestnuts Start Here!
United Chestnuts began at EBB Farms, where Brad and Melanie Jones turned a few chestnut trees into something more: a working model of what chestnut farming could be. Along the way, Melanie teamed up with digital strategist Kimberly Douglass to share what they were learning—through podcasts, workshops, direct support for fellow growers and now the growing United Chestnuts Academy.
The more chestnut farmers they spoke to, the clearer the pattern became:
The passion was there.
The product was there.
But the platform, support, and visibility?
Nowhere to be found.
So they built it.
From the beginning, this work has been about more than one farm — or one nut. United Chestnuts is building the storytelling, academy guides, and personalized marketing support this industry never had — so growers can focus on farming, not figuring out how to sell it.
This Is Bigger Than a Brand.
It’s a Backbone.
United Chestnuts is the platform. EBB Farms is the farm behind it — the place where every lesson, guide, and story gets tested before it reaches you. Together, they're a way to restore what was lost, and reimagine what's possible.
Who We Are
Melanie Jones
Co-founder, United Chestnuts | Chestnut Farmer | VP Growth CGA
Melanie is the Co-Founder of United Chestnuts, VP of Growth for Chestnut Growers of America, and co-owner of the farm lab at EBB Farms alongside her husband, Brad. Their chestnut journey began on this land — learning by doing, one season at a time.
With a background in sales, business strategy and hands-on farming experience, Melanie knows what it takes to turn a piece of land into a real, working business — and how few people have a roadmap for it. That's why she started United Chestnuts: to help other landowners and growers do the same.
Through the United Chestnuts Academy, the team shares the lessons, tools, and support she wishes they'd had — so more people can own their own land and build a farm that actually pays off.
Kimberly Douglass
Co-founder & Brand Strategist, United Chestnuts
Kimberly is a co-founder of United Chestnuts and the creative force behind its national voice. With over 15 years of experience in digital marketing and brand strategy, she’s helped companies—from legacy media to mission-driven startups—craft stories that move people. At United Chestnuts, she leads everything from brand development to strategic outreach, ensuring that growers are not only seen but understood. Her work connects farms to markets, products to purpose, and ideas to action.
We’re Here for the Long Haul
We’re not building a flash‑in‑the‑pan startup. We’re building the United Chestnuts Academy and laying the groundwork for a resilient, farmer-first economy where chestnuts can thrive again.