Thanks for refreshing our memories on chestnuts, just in time for the season. We have a lot of them in France, C. sativa, which seem to be quite healthy still, cross fingers. (It's the Aesculus that is suffering from a leaf blight in our region.) It's always a delight to see you again.
We in America are trying to revive our Chestnuts & I hope that works. You're lucky in Europe that there are still many of these delicious nuts available. Thanks for your support!
Excellent video! I found a producing American chestnut sprout once off the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. About 40 years ago. Gathered 8 maybe 10 nuts I could find. Tried to grow but not able. Tried also the new American Chestnut Foundations resistant seeds ($300 2 seeds) 2 years in a row! Got 2 plants but squirrels ate them down to the ground! Even had them caged! Either I’m lousy at planting them or squirrels so excited about them they couldn’t wait!
$300. for 2 seeds! wow... yes the squirrels are difficult to beat. Around here farmers are planting trees and getting results. Investigate where you live to see if any people -or institutions-- are doing the same thing. Maybe the American Chestnut foundation has a listing of places where chestnuts are being raised. Smith College (which i mentioned in this video) has is doing just that in a thriving grove at the MacLeish Field Station in West Whatley MA.
I was co-cartaker of an old Huguenot farmhouse in west central France where there was a grove of chestnuts. We used to cook them over the fire through fall and winter.
@thederb720 Sorry to hear that. There was a closeness to the land that has become largely lost with industrialization and urbanization that I think is not only regrettable, but detrimental in small and large ways. Anyway, thank you for the instructional video.
My favourite nuts too, Blanche. We have them in Indonesia too but more in Sumatra. I have not seen them in Java. I also hate it when a wild patch where I can collect wild plants to eat is turned into petrol station or some such thing. Hope you are well!
I love chestnuts. Although the American species don’t really have those shiny leaves. The American chestnut might be gone but I do believe chinquapins will make a comeback. The ozark chinquapin now has blight resistance thanks to the ozark chinquapin foundation!
More and more people are planting these trees here in hopes of having them become plentiful again--i believe they might be hybridized American and Chinese Chestnuts.
@@thederb720 have you heard of the ozark chinquapin and the ozark chinquapin foundation? I believe it is our most likely shot at a Native American blight resistant chestnut being plentiful in the woods again. They’ve developed blight resistance with only native trees. I’ll never give up hope for the American chestnut, though.
Cutting an "X" in them is a great idea. I learnt that the hard way as they exploded in my oven! I'd recommend a pair of safety glasses, too, as hot exploding chestnut shrapnel could blind an eye! lol 🌰🌰🌰🌰🌰
There is a generically modified American Chestnut on the way. I believe it has a gene from a grass (not sure), but it will restore the American Chestnut. The hybrids don't look/grow like the American ones did. I have some Asian ones on my property. Copious nuts each fall.
I haven’t foraged chestnuts in years. I’m sure the trees are still there , I just haven’t been out to go fishing. Anyway chestnuts are delicious. One of my favorite nuts ❤️
Chinese chestnuts may be cheap but the bitter furry skin is hard to remove from the nut. French chestnuts are the best for this and their flavour, but British shops and markets do not sell them because they are too expensive relative to the Chinese variety.
What I do is place the nuts in a pot of water and let them boil for a few minutes, cool them down & then peel. It does take time but that type is all I can find when I forage...Maybe someday if I go to france I can check them out at the source...
Hi I watched your video on berries before this one which was interesting because when I was young I saw black berries but was told they where for dogs lol. Can’t wait to take a closer look at one with the info u have, ty. It’s sad they keep cutting down food producing trees. Maybe someday I’ll take drive & visit that place u mention. I’m in RI. U mention ur in Mass. but ty for ur videos. I am looking where to go foraging because sadly because the world we live in , I won’t go in the woods by myself. Where did u start?
Start out in your own backyard (if you have one ) or that of a friendly neighbor or gardener. Violets, goutweed, dandelions, chickweed like suburban yards. You might be surprised at how many edibles are nearby. if you have a park or college campus nearby they often plant ornamental trees like kousa dogwood or tulip trees. If you have community gardens, often their compost piles are a good place to find lambsquarters or purslane. Open fields by rivers are and edges of forests are also good places. The woods don't yield too much (except for mushrooms & conifers as they're too dark --trees block the sunlight-- so they are the least promising spots. I forage (for berries/nuts/ weeds) in local parks, along our bikepath, in friends' organic gardens (with their permission of course! often they don't want the most nutritious weeds!?) & on local College campuses. Stay away from RR track areas, places that heave been sprayed, & busy roads.
Finding American chestnut is difficult finding one with fruit even harder I knew of one it grew in a temporary clearing caused gypsy moth but it eventually grew over and the tree dyed the blight grows best in shade
Pure American chestnuts only grow to be a. small shrub & then die; that’s why the Chestnut Foundation is attempting to hybridized these trees. I hope it works.
I agree. I wish that somehow those trees could have been saved. But luckily some folks are planting hybrid chestnuts that hopefully will thrive and spread.
@@thederb720 Yes, and I hope more people become aware of these dwindling beauties. Perhaps a second thought will be given to that new gas station next time. Thanks for sharing. 😊
@@eishandenumireth7092 My hope is that the hybrid chestnuts planted by the American Chestnut Foundation and those being raised by the Smith College's MacLeish Center will eventually bear nuts and will be distributed all over the country.
Blanche, you are my hero. Thanks for doing what you do.
You made my day with your kind words!
You are just beautiful dear. Thank you for your appreciation of nature! Love
So king of you- I love positive feedback!
Lovely presentation! Thank you for teaching us, Blanche.
You are so welcome! I love reaching folks from all over the country and world!
Love your videos keep uploading!
Thank you! Will do! Although it takes me a long time to film and edit each one.
Thanks for refreshing our memories on chestnuts, just in time for the season. We have a lot of them in France, C. sativa, which seem to be quite healthy still, cross fingers. (It's the Aesculus that is suffering from a leaf blight in our region.) It's always a delight to see you again.
We in America are trying to revive our Chestnuts & I hope that works. You're lucky in Europe that there are still many of these delicious nuts available. Thanks for your support!
1. You’re adorable! 🥰
2. Thank you for posting!
3. I love these kind of videos. Please make more. :)
Thank you! Will do! I'm going on hiatus later in the fall/winter--that's when I do all my editing for the next year's posts.
@@thederb720 That’s awesome!
@@thederb720 I look forward to it!
Excellent video! I found a producing American chestnut sprout once off the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. About 40 years ago. Gathered 8 maybe 10 nuts I could find. Tried to grow but not able. Tried also the new American Chestnut Foundations resistant seeds ($300 2 seeds) 2 years in a row! Got 2 plants but squirrels ate them down to the ground! Even had them caged! Either I’m lousy at planting them or squirrels so excited about them they couldn’t wait!
$300. for 2 seeds! wow... yes the squirrels are difficult to beat. Around here farmers are planting trees and getting results. Investigate where you live to see if any people -or institutions-- are doing the same thing. Maybe the American Chestnut foundation has a listing of places where chestnuts are being raised. Smith College (which i mentioned in this video) has is doing just that in a thriving grove at the MacLeish Field Station in West Whatley MA.
I was co-cartaker of an old Huguenot farmhouse in west central France where there was a grove of chestnuts. We used to cook them over the fire through fall and winter.
Sounds wonderful! The trees I harvest from are getting old, the crops aren't as large as they used to be.
@thederb720 Sorry to hear that. There was a closeness to the land that has become largely lost with industrialization and urbanization that I think is not only regrettable, but detrimental in small and large ways.
Anyway, thank you for the instructional video.
My favourite nuts too, Blanche. We have them in Indonesia too but more in Sumatra. I have not seen them in Java. I also hate it when a wild patch where I can collect wild plants to eat is turned into petrol station or some such thing. Hope you are well!
I didn’t realize that they grow where you are. All too often patches of plants/trees that I discover end up being dug up for condos or parking lots…
I love chestnuts. Although the American species don’t really have those shiny leaves. The American chestnut might be gone but I do believe chinquapins will make a comeback. The ozark chinquapin now has blight resistance thanks to the ozark chinquapin foundation!
More and more people are planting these trees here in hopes of having them become plentiful again--i believe they might be hybridized American and Chinese Chestnuts.
@@thederb720 have you heard of the ozark chinquapin and the ozark chinquapin foundation? I believe it is our most likely shot at a Native American blight resistant chestnut being plentiful in the woods again. They’ve developed blight resistance with only native trees. I’ll never give up hope for the American chestnut, though.
Cutting an "X" in them is a great idea. I learnt that the hard way as they exploded in my oven! I'd recommend a pair of safety glasses, too, as hot exploding chestnut shrapnel could blind an eye! lol 🌰🌰🌰🌰🌰
That's a good idea. Glad you weren't injured!
@@thederb720
lol
☺
There is a generically modified American Chestnut on the way. I believe it has a gene from a grass (not sure), but it will restore the American Chestnut. The hybrids don't look/grow like the American ones did. I have some Asian ones on my property. Copious nuts each fall.
Some people don't like the use of genetically modified stuff but if it will help restore the American Chestnut, I'm hopeful...
I haven’t foraged chestnuts in years. I’m sure the trees are still there , I just haven’t been out to go fishing. Anyway chestnuts are delicious. One of my favorite nuts ❤️
They are slightly sweeter than most nuts...
Chinese chestnuts may be cheap but the bitter furry skin is hard to remove from the nut. French chestnuts are the best for this and their flavour, but British shops and markets do not sell them because they are too expensive relative to the Chinese variety.
What I do is place the nuts in a pot of water and let them boil for a few minutes, cool them down & then peel. It does take time but that type is all I can find when I forage...Maybe someday if I go to france I can check them out at the source...
Hi I watched your video on berries before this one which was interesting because when I was young I saw black berries but was told they where for dogs lol. Can’t wait to take a closer look at one with the info u have, ty.
It’s sad they keep cutting down food producing trees. Maybe someday I’ll take drive & visit that place u mention. I’m in RI. U mention ur in Mass. but ty for ur videos. I am looking where to go foraging because sadly because the world we live in , I won’t go in the woods by myself. Where did u start?
Start out in your own backyard (if you have one ) or that of a friendly neighbor or gardener. Violets, goutweed, dandelions, chickweed like suburban yards. You might be surprised at how many edibles are nearby. if you have a park or college campus nearby they often plant ornamental trees like kousa dogwood or tulip trees. If you have community gardens, often their compost piles are a good place to find lambsquarters or purslane. Open fields by rivers are and edges of forests are also good places. The woods don't yield too much (except for mushrooms & conifers as they're too dark --trees block the sunlight-- so they are the least promising spots. I forage (for berries/nuts/ weeds) in local parks, along our bikepath, in friends' organic gardens (with their permission of course! often they don't want the most nutritious weeds!?) & on local College campuses. Stay away from RR track areas, places that heave been sprayed, & busy roads.
Good info... Thank you...
Hope you can find some of these delicious nuts..
Finding American chestnut is difficult finding one with fruit even harder I knew of one it grew in a temporary clearing caused gypsy moth but it eventually grew over and the tree dyed the blight grows best in shade
Pure American chestnuts only grow to be a. small shrub & then die; that’s why the Chestnut Foundation is attempting to hybridized these trees. I hope it works.
Thanks to God in Southern Georgia have some trees
Youre awesome thanks
...Appreciate your support!
Wow what a wonderful video...and story.
What a ridiculous thing to do... folks in Your town ought to be Preserving these trees!
I agree. I wish that somehow those trees could have been saved. But luckily some folks are planting hybrid chestnuts that hopefully will thrive and spread.
Heartbreaking...
It is now harder to find Chestnut trees butI hope that in my wanderings I’ll discover some new ones…
@@thederb720 Yes, and I hope more people become aware of these dwindling beauties. Perhaps a second thought will be given to that new gas station next time. Thanks for sharing. 😊
@@eishandenumireth7092 My hope is that the hybrid chestnuts planted by the American Chestnut Foundation and those being raised by the Smith College's MacLeish Center will eventually bear nuts and will be distributed all over the country.
GG