The sweet chestnut - How to achieve sustainable food production for increased profit and well-being

Castanea sativa, the sweet chestnut, Spanish chestnut or just chestnut, is a species of tree in the family Fagaceae, native to Southern Europe and Asia Minor, and widely cultivated throughout the temperate world. A substantial, long-lived deciduous tree, it produces an edible seed, the chestnut, which has been used in cooking since ancient times.

C. sativa attains a height of 20–35 m (66–115 ft) with a trunk often 2 m (7 ft) in diameter. The bark often has a net-shaped (retiform) pattern with deep furrows or fissures running spirally in both directions up the trunk. The trunk is mostly straight with branching starting at low heights. Sweet chestnut trees live to an age of 500 to 600 years. In cultivation they may even grow as old as 1000 years or more. Their large genetic diversity and different cultivars are exploited for uses such as flour, boiling, roasting, drying, sweets or wood. The oblong-lanceolate, boldly toothed leaves are 16–28 cm (6–11 in) long and 5–9 cm (2–4 in) broad.

The tree requires a mild climate and adequate moisture for good growth and a good nut harvest. Its year-growth (but not the rest of the tree) is sensitive to late spring and early autumn frosts, and is intolerant of lime. Under forest conditions, it will tolerate moderate shade well. It can live to more than 2,000 years of age in natural conditions, see the poetically-named “hundred-horse chestnut” in eastern Sicily for example.

After the chestnuts fall from the tree, watch for the spiny burs to split. Don’t harvest chestnuts if the burs are still green and closed because the nuts inside will be unripe. Harvest the nuts every couple of days. Don’t wait too long, as the nuts will ripen and quickly lose quality and flavor. Also, if the nuts lie on the ground for more than two days, many may be absconded by squirrels or other hungry wildlife. When the burs have split, roll the nuts gently but firmly under your shoes, using just enough pressure to release the chestnuts. Avoid jumping or stomping, which will crush the nuts.

This video is specific to the American Chestnut tree

Let me explain why I start chestnut seedlings. I think chestnut trees are one of the most important trees that you can add to your land and I think it is a shame that the American chestnut tree was decimated in the 20th century. This video is my how to guide for starting chestnut seedlings from cold stratified chestnuts.

Some more information here: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2019/04/29/what-it-takes-bring-back-near-mythical-american-chestnut-trees

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How to Harvest and Store Chestnuts

Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-harvest-and-store-chestnuts-1388176

Harvesting

Chestnuts are typically harvested mid-September through November and are one of the easiest nut varieties to harvest and prepare for storage. Here’s what you do:

Wait for the chestnuts to fall to the ground.
Gather up all of the nuts with open burrs. (You’ll definitely want gloves for this job.)
Remove the nuts from the burrs. Discard any with wormholes or other signs of damage.
Promptly store the chestnuts in air-tight containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Tips

Beat the squirrels: Try to gather the chestnuts as soon as they fall to the ground. It will preserve the quality of the nuts and minimize loss to squirrels (they love chestnuts, too).
Look for open burrs: When the chestnut is mature, the burrs will open, and that’s when you want to remove the husks. Leave the dark brown inner shell.
Don’t shell until needed: Chestnuts will dry out within a week of being removed from the shell. Keep them fresh by shelling them right before you’re ready to use them.
Store properly: In-shell chestnuts will keep in the refrigerator for a month or in the freezer for a year.
Listen for the rattle: Chestnuts that are in the shell dry out and shrink as they age. Test the freshness of chestnuts by shaking them. If you hear rattling inside the shell, they may be too dry to eat.
Sorting chestnuts: When sorting chestnuts, look for shells that are smooth, glossy and heavy. These will hold the tastiest nuts.

Eating

Chestnuts are delicious and have a mild, semi-sweet flavor. When raw, they are crunchy and will soften when cooked.

There are many ways to enjoy your harvested chestnuts. Roasting chestnuts is a very popular method and a favorite holiday treat. Chestnuts can also be boiled or braised.

Chestnuts are a common ingredient in many recipes. They can be used in desserts, stuffings, soups and savory meat dishes. Candied chestnuts are delicious and a great way to reward yourself after the harvest!

You can even make your own chestnut flour to use in bread.

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Roasted chestnuts recipe

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/roastchestnuts_68084

Ingredients

1kg/2¼lb chestnuts

Method

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cross into the skin of each nut. Put in a roasting tin and bake until the skins open and the insides are tender, about 30 minutes.
Serve in paper bags, if you like. To eat, peel away the tough outer skin and the pithy white inner skin to get to the sweet kernel

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