Starting a Chestnut Orchard the Right Way Feat. Jon & Bill Nash of Nash Nurseries
May 1, 2026
On this episode of Branching Out: Growing Together, host Melanie Jones sits down with Jon and Bill Nash of Nash Nurseries in Michigan. Together, the sixth- and seventh-generation Nashes share the habits, decisions, and community values that turn a first chestnut planting into a thriving orchard — from patience and site selection to tissue culture and the brand-new Treeborne value-added line.What You’ll Learn
- Why patience is the #1 rule when starting a chestnut orchard (2:00)
- The simple 1×1×1 soil-drainage test that can save your investment (36:45)
- How six generations of know-how moved from Bill’s memory into barcodes and field maps (12:30)
- The beer-napkin origin story of Treeborne’s chestnut chips and chestnut brown ale (23:00)
- What tissue-culture Eurohybrids could mean for the next wave of growers (26:00)
- Why Jon says, “We are not a big enough industry for everyone to be their own kingdom” (44:00)
Resources Mentioned
- Nash Nurseries — nashnurseries.com
- Chestnut Growers of America (CGA)
- Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA)
- Midwest Chestnut Producers Council
- Michigan State University — Dr. Dennis Fulbright, Dr. Mario Mondojando
- Treeborn — roasted chestnut chips, flour, and value-added products
If this episode helped you, share it with a fellow grower and leave a review — it helps other chestnut-curious folks find us. Join the community at unitedchestnuts.com, subscribe to the weekly blog, and let’s keep growing together.
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Explore More from United Chestnuts
- Main Website: unitedchestnuts.com
- The Branching Out Podcast: Listen to More Episodes
- The United Chestnuts Blog: Industry Insights & Growth Strategies
- Shop Ebb Farms: Direct from Our Orchard to You
This episode includes AI-generated content.
