Chestnuts

OldBat

Member
I can tell you where one is that produces a few chestnuts most years, it isn't very tall, cause it's on the very top of a mtn. If you go to brasstown bald, take the trail toward trackrock gap, just before you get to chimney rock, ther is one above the trail, go in late october and you will sometimes see some chestnuts in the trail, tree is hard to find otherwise, I found a stand in clay co. nc, only thing is when they get about 10-12" in diameter, they die, the root systems are still there in some cases, they just can't get started back.

Hi, interesting thread! BTW I'm new here...

Just want to point out that the American Chestnut Foundation is well aware of the few surviving chestnut trees on Brasstown Bald. (I helped gather pollen there two summers ago...) They might not be aware of the ones in Clay county North Carolina. If these are on restricted access private land, please consider contacting them so they can add these survivors to the restoration projects gene pool.

The final cross in the quest for blight resistant 15/16th American chestnuts needs to be from near where they will be planted back. Kind of pointless to develop a blight resistant chestnut from Maine and plant it in Georgia.
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
there is at least one tree in Dawsonville that produces nuts that I know of, maybe two. It produces every year, and has for at least the past 20 years according to a friend that lives real close to it. I wonder if the ACF knows about that tree?

I know there is a small amount of them around Warm Springs also. I read it in a paper about the native trees.

My grandpappy told me the blossoms would fall like snow when the chestnuts were in bloom. He said the blossoms didn't smell good though. He didn't like the smell of them at all. They use to gather up bags of chestnuts in the fall and put them in the attic of the house. The nuts would dry out and they would grind them into flour to supplement the corn meal and such. My granny said she would roast them real brown, almost burnt, and grind them to make coffee when they couldn't buy coffee during the depression.

Speaking of fatten hogs on them, my g'pappy use to drive hogs out of Lumpkin county all the way to Atlanta in the early winter to sell for slaughter. He said it would take 3 weeks to walk a herd to Atlanta and walk back home. His old farm was in the Shoal Creek area.
 

The mtn man

Senior Member
Hi, interesting thread! BTW I'm new here...

Just want to point out that the American Chestnut Foundation is well aware of the few surviving chestnut trees on Brasstown Bald. (I helped gather pollen there two summers ago...) They might not be aware of the ones in Clay county North Carolina. If these are on restricted access private land, please consider contacting them so they can add these survivors to the restoration projects gene pool.

The final cross in the quest for blight resistant 15/16th American chestnuts needs to be from near where they will be planted back. Kind of pointless to develop a blight resistant chestnut from Maine and plant it in Georgia.

trees in Clay county are on private property on the Nantahala river, just above the lake.they are actually sprouts all over these mtns. they appear to sprout up from the existing root systems, they just don't make it though.the ones I have found do not produce mast,nor have I seen them bloom.they seem to be on north sides also where the sun hardly ever penetrates.
 

2 UP

Senior Member
According to the web site, the trees should be shipping to Walmart the week of Feb. 11th
 
There is a log on display in my hometown of Hayesville nc, it was left by Ritter lumber co.it is off Ritter rd. in town, by desoto square apartments.right on the side of the rd.amzing, it's still not rotted.it's not 15ft through though.

How would they saw a tree of this size? Special gigantic saws?
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
I would love to see the equipment they used back then to saw something like that. I don't even know how they would have loaded it or hauled it to the mill. Back then, they use to move the mill to the lumber and when they were finished with one tract, they moved to another.

Pappy
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
the website says that the trees will ship the week of Feb 11th to Walmarts in the south. I am really excited to be able to go to my local wally world and pick out the trees I am planting. Looks like it might be a little cheaper that ordering them off the website too. An added bonus in my book.

Here is a link to the stores that will have the trees in stock. I would suspect you better get there quick because the trees will disappear quickly.

http://www.realtreenursery.com/Images/RealtreeTreesat Walmart2013.pdf
 

Pilgrim

Senior Member
Just ordered two from Chestnut Hill Tree Farm. Thanks for the helpful info!
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
been checking with wally world. No trees in yet. Hopefully soon. I keep hoping they will be here soon.
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
Just ordered two from Chestnut Hill Tree Farm. Thanks for the helpful info!

I wish I had the land to plant 10 acres or more of them.

Keep that Stihl away from those trees though. lol
 

Pilgrim

Senior Member

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
went by the Cornelia store this evening. Blueberries, fruit trees and magnolias but no chestnuts yet.
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
I wonder if they will grow down here?
 

2 UP

Senior Member
I emailed the nursery, and they said they expect them in Southern Ga stores sometime today, and Northern Ga tomorrow
 

redka

Senior Member
WalMart Warner Robins Booth Rd

has them now. Looks to be 30-40 i n the crate. $24.95 each.
Macon store probably got delivery too. Not sure which store though.
 
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