Willie Huston Discusses Regenerative Farming
August 16, 2025
On this visit to Pick N Grin Farm in western Kentucky, we sit down with Willie Huston to talk about regenerative chestnut farming, his pigs and cows, and what it really means to build a farm of your own. Willie shares how chestnuts fit into a system built around observation, rotational grazing, and music, and why the passion for farming keeps him going season after season.
[Insert Image block here. Alt text: Willie Huston at Pick N Grin Farm, where regenerative chestnut farming meets music]
How Regenerative Chestnut Farming Works at Pick N Grin
Willie’s chestnut trees started at EBB Farms. Today they grow on 15-foot contour swales with wildflower strips, spaced 40 feet apart, with persimmons planted between them and mulberries on the edge. His cows graze the alleys in between, moving to a new quarter-acre strip every day. Willie credits J. Russell Smith’s book Tree Crops as an inspiration for this silvopasture design.
Chestnuts fill the long-term canopy in Willie’s plan. He tries to get at least three uses out of every crop, from feed for his animals to future U-pick and memorial tree programs.
Pigs, Cows, and Chestnut Trees
The animals are a big part of this regenerative chestnut farm. As Willie puts it, “the pigs love chestnuts,” and his cows will eat them too. He feeds acorns to the pigs but keeps oaks limited in the grazing system, since too many acorns can be toxic to cows. He also runs pigs through some paddocks to bring up the dormant seed bank.
His cows are mob grazed. That means a group of animals graze one small area for a short time and then move on. Willie explains that this keeps the parasite load low, lets manure break down into the soil, and protects young trees because electric fencing keeps the cattle in their lanes.
Restoration, Biomimicry, and Music
Willie prefers the terms “restoration farming” and “biomimicry” to “regenerative,” because they keep him focused on what the land needs right now. His wildflower strips hold 130 species that bloom from spring through goldenrod in the fall.
Music is part of the farm, too. The name Pick N Grin comes partly from his banjo playing, and his rule is simple: “if the land is not inspiring music or poetry of some sort or thoughts that are good… then I must not be doing it right.”
Advice for New Regenerative Chestnut Growers
For anyone starting out, Willie recommends staying inspired through the hard first years. Things get easier as the system matures and the work shifts toward maintenance and pruning. He also encourages new growers to “let the failures be a teacher”. Remember that “diversity is the key,” on the land and in our communities.
Keep Exploring
Watch the full conversation in our Regenerative Farming & Music at Pick N Grin Farm episode. Hear more from Willie on the Farming With Purpose podcast. Ready to plant your own trees? Shop chestnut tree seedlings grown at EBB Farms, or explore practical grower guides in the UC Academy.