Start With Your Why: Planting Chestnut Trees with Purpose

July 13, 2025

Start With Your Why: Planting Chestnut Trees with Purpose

What drives someone to plant a tree they may not harvest for years? That’s where your why comes in. In this episode of Branching Out: Growing Together, host Melanie Jones shares how defining your purpose can shape what—and how—you grow.

At EBB Farms, and through the work of United Chestnuts, the “why” is clear: we believe in regeneration, long-term stewardship, and building something beautiful that lasts.

Why Plant Chestnut Trees?

Chestnut trees are more than a crop. They’re a statement. A signal that you’re investing in long-term land health, food systems, and family resilience.

Some people plant them for legacy. Others for wildlife. Many simply want to improve their soil. Whatever your why, this episode will help you connect that purpose to practice.

Personal Reasons People Choose Tree Crops

Here are some of the most common motivators we hear from new growers and landowners:

Legacy: Building something for children, grandchildren, and beyond
Wildlife habitat: Creating a haven for deer, birds, and pollinators
Soil health: Improving erosion control and nutrient density
Food security: Growing your own high-value perennial crop
Carbon smart: Reducing emissions and increasing stored carbon in soil and roots
Sanctuary: Developing a peaceful space that regenerates people as well as land

Each “why” is different. But together, they all point toward regenerative agriculture.

How Chestnut Trees Support a Regenerative Future

Perennial crops like chestnuts offer advantages that annuals can’t match. They:

Require fewer inputs after establishment
Provide consistent yields for decades
Improve soil structure and biodiversity
Increase property value
Offer diverse revenue streams (nuts, seedlings, shade, hunting leases)

In other words, planting chestnut trees is a strategic act of patience—and power.

Inspired by Simon Sinek: Start With Why

This episode takes inspiration from Simon Sinek’s book “Start With Why.” The idea? People don’t buy what you do—they buy why you do it.

For growers, this message is especially relevant. You’re not just planting trees. You’re planting ideas, values, and a vision for the future. And your “why” will carry you through the long seasons ahead.

For New Growers, Dreamers, and Future Farmers

Not ready to plant yet? That’s okay. Your “why” still matters. You can start learning, connecting with the community, and planning for your future orchard.

This episode is for: