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 reach out about chestnut trees, the questions are almost always logistical:
- “What variety should I plant?”
- “What’s the price per pound?”
- “How long ‘til harvest?”
Totally fair. But my first question back is usually: “What’s your why?”
Because in this kind of slow, perennial agriculture, your reason matters more than your spreadsheet. The growers who stay in this work aren’t just chasing margins. They’re chasing meaning.
And that often starts with a legitimate reason—flour, retirement, revenue—but that deepens with time. I’ve seen it happen again and again, including on our own land. The trick is to keep asking. That’s where a little coaching exercise comes in—something I first learned from Coach Tori and now use all the time.
@thetorigordon Leave your Why in the comments! #motivation #success #psychology ♬ original sound – Tori
Write down why you want to grow chestnuts.
Then ask yourself why that reason matters.
Do it again. Seven times.
It’s a deceptively simple tool, but it almost always reveals something richer than you expected.
What Makes Chestnuts Worth Growing?
Our story didn’t start with a business plan. It started with a pull. We planted trees in Kentucky while still living in Atlanta—not because it penciled out, but because the land felt alive again when we did.
Brad Russell said something similar on the podcast that stuck with me. He talked about planting what he called “left-for-dead” trees—no irrigation, no special care. But when he came back, they were thriving. That moment? It changed how he saw the land.
No irrigation. No special treatment. But they grew.
And in that quiet growth, something clicked. A deeper understanding of what this work is really about.
More Than a Crop: Rooted Reasons People Grow Chestnuts
Whether you’re planting one tree or one thousand, your reason matters. Here’s what I’ve seen bring people into this work—and keep them here:
4 Real Reasons Chestnut Growers Stay in This Work
Not the pitch. The pulse.
Regenerative Farming & Soil Health: They want to restore the soil.
Chestnuts aren’t just productive—they’re regenerative. The roots stabilize slopes. The leaf litter feeds the soil. And the whole system begins to breathe again.
2. Family Legacy & Land Meaning: They’re thinking about legacy.
Whether it’s grandkids, future farmers, or simply wanting to leave the land better than they found it, many growers are planting with long-term vision.
3. Biodiversity & Habitat Creation: They’re building biodiversity.
Chestnuts support deer, turkey, pollinators, and more. For folks working in restoration or agroforestry systems, this crop fits beautifully.
4. Food Security & Nutrition: They believe in local food.
Some growers start with health—gluten-free, nutrient-dense, culturally important. But it grows into something bigger: food security, flavor, and food systems they can feel proud of.
We don’t always know our full reason at the start. That’s okay. In fact, most of the growers I know started with one thing—income potential, erosion control, a love of nuts—and wound up discovering something much deeper.
The throughline isn’t the strategy, it’s the direction. As Simon Sinek says: “Direction is more important than speed.”
Free Reflection Tool for Chestnut Growers
If this post stirred something for you, we made a simple reflection tool to help you go deeper.
Download the “Find Your Why” Worksheet
It walks you through that same seven-question process. There’s no perfect answer—just a place to begin. You’ll also find our piece “The Advantages of Tree Crops” linked below—less listicle, more lens—and a direct link to the episode with Brad and Sandy Russell if you’d rather hear the story in their words, hear more about their journey in our past podcast episodes or on YouTube right here.
More Resources to Explore
- Listen to: Finding Our Why: Why Chestnuts, and Why Now
- Download the Seven Whys Reflection Tool
- Read: The Advantages of Tree Crops
- Watch: Brad + Sandy Rusell on The Branching Out: Growing Together podcast or Brad Russell on The Branching Out: Growing Together podcast
Why Grow Chestnuts? Because Meaning Matters
This isn’t just a crop. It’s a commitment. A slow unfolding. And the clearer your why, the steadier you’ll be when seasons stretch long.
Thanks for being part of this. And as always—keep branching out.