Chestnut Orchard Fun Day at EKU, 27 April 2018

EKU is holding an orchard work day.  Here are the details:

Please join us on Friday, 27 April for EKU’s annual celebration of Arbor Day. We will have a work day at our chestnut orchard from 10-3 during which we will plant chestnut seeds and perform maintenance on existing seedlings. EKU’s chestnut seed orchard is the result of decades of breeding efforts by the American Chestnut Foundation undertaken to meet their goal of restoring the American chestnut to its historic range. The American chestnut once comprised one in four trees in eastern forests and was iconic among the people of Appalachia prior to its devastation by the chestnut blight.

 

What: Chestnut orchard work day to celebrate our 7^th year of being certified by the TreeCampus USA program

 

Where: EKU’s chestnut orchard (more details on parking and directions to follow)

 

When: Friday, 27 April 2018 10:00AM – 3:00PM

 

Please wear closed-toed shoes and dress for the weather. If you have work gloves, a hand trowel, a hammer, and/or a bucket, please bring those as well. We will have those items on hand for those who cannot bring them.

 

Co-Sponsors: The Arbor Day Foundation, The American Chestnut Foundation (KY chapter), EKU Facilities Services, EKU Office of Sustainability, EKU Wildlife Society, Biology Department

Participating in a fun day like this is a great way to learn about American chestnuts, chestnut restoration, orchard management, as well as other things.  Plus, it is a wonderful way to meet other chestnut enthusiast!  Get on out there and help grow some chestnut trees!

Obtaining Chestnut Trees in Kentucky

I often get questions of where someone can obtain chestnut trees to try to grow on their farm or in their yard.  There aren't many placed that pure American chestnut nuts or seedling can be obtained.  However, I recently learned of a local grower in the Bowling Green area who has been growing pure American (and other) chestnut trees for some time and will be selling nuts in fall of 2018 and will begin seedling sales in spring of 2019!


Go to Mater Maker Film and be sure to navigate to the chestnut page.  You will find some very impressive photos of pure American chestnut trees growing in Kentucky forests, examples of very well kept and tended pure American orchards and you will find where you can purchase nuts and seedlings from this Kentucky grower!  Be sure and mention that the Louisville Chestnut Blog sent you their way!

Pure American chestnuts produced by Mater Maker Film website owner.

This website if FULL of information on chestnuts, blight, chestnut identification, etc.  Well worth checking out!!

Volunteer Opportunity at EKU - Feb. 9, 2018

Interested in helping out with chestnut restoration efforts?  You have an opportunity in Richmond, KY at Eastern Kentucky University's chestnut seed orchard on Friday, February 9, beginning at 9:00 in the morning.  Here are some directions to the orchard:

Be sure to wear work cloths, bring gloves, bring a lunch and water to drink, and plan on working hard!  Work will include weeding, placing new tree tubes onto seedlings, mulching and other maintenance tasks.  Should be a fun day!  In the event of bad weather, phone Tom at 828-450-9100 to make sure the workday is still on.