Branching Out: Growing Together

Starting a Chestnut Orchard the Right Way Feat. Jon & Bill Nash of Nash Nurseries

May 1, 2026·48 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

On this episode of Branching Out: Growing Together, host Melanie Jones sits down with Jon and Bill Nash of Nash Nurseries in Michigan. Together, the sixth- and seventh-generation Nashes share the habits, decisions, and community values that turn a first chestnut planting into a thriving orchard — from patience and site selection to tissue culture and the brand-new Treeborne value-added line.What You’ll LearnWhy patience is the #1 rule when starting a chestnut orchard (2:00)The simple 1×1×1 soil-drainage test that can save your investment (36:45)How six generations of know-how moved from Bill’s memory into barcodes and field maps (12:30)The beer-napkin origin story of Treeborne’s chestnut chips and chestnut brown ale (23:00)What tissue-culture Eurohybrids could mean for the next wave of growers (26:00)Why Jon says, “We are not a big enough industry for everyone to be their own kingdom” (44:00)Resources MentionedNash Nurseries — nashnurseries.comChestnut Growers of America (CGA)Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA)Midwest Chestnut Producers CouncilMichigan State University — Dr. Dennis Fulbright, Dr. Mario MondojandoTreeborn — roasted chestnut chips, flour, and value-added productsIf this episode helped you, share it with a fellow grower and leave a review — it helps other chestnut-curious folks find us. Join the community at unitedchestnuts.com, subscribe to the weekly blog, and let’s keep growing together.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/branching-out-growing-together--5924771/support.Explore More from United ChestnutsMain Website: unitedchestnuts.comThe Branching Out Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesThe United Chestnuts Blog: Industry Insights & Growth StrategiesShop Ebb Farms: Direct from Our Orchard to YouThis episode includes AI-generated content.

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