WCN Dec e

Continued from Page 60
The Agricultural Marketing Resource
Center reports that the U.S. is
one of the few nations in the world that
can grow chestnuts, yet doesn’t have a
significant chestnut industry. In 2018,
U.S. chestnut production was less than
1% of total world production. The U.S.
had 919 farms producing chestnuts
on more than 3,700 acres. The top five
chestnut-producing states are Michigan,
Florida, California, Oregon and
Virginia.
There are four common species of
chestnuts grown in North America, but
most trees in commercial orchards are
hybrids of these species.
Degree of burr separation from the shell and ease of pellicle removal from the nut meat are
quality characteristics.
Acre at a Time
Joe Avila said his five acres of chestnut
trees started with one acre in 1984
and gradually grew an acre at a time.
He said he started with seedling trees
and grafted them with the European
Colossal variety with a Nevada pollinizer
and an Italian chestnut variety.
Cross-pollination is required for
chestnut trees, but since the pollen is
often shed before pistillate flowers are
receptive, overlapping male and female
bloom from two different varieties is
required.
The Colossal variety produces a larger
nut, which is more valuable. Avila’s
trees are in full production and have
reached a height of about 45 feet.
“Our buyers are knowledgeable
about chestnuts and are looking for
high quality. In the last two years, we
have sold out well before the holidays,”
Avila said.
Some customers prepare them by
boiling and serving them in main dishes,
while others prefer to roast the nuts.
Avila said a key to quality in chestnuts
is to place the nuts in cold storage
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62 West Coast Nut December 2021