Green Horizons

Taste of the Kingdom, a value-added agricultural food products company, Kingdom City, Mo., offers sauces and jellies made with chestnuts from the Center for Agroforestry HARC research farm each year at the Missouri Chestnut Roast. The products are a popular draw for visitors, with supplies selling out year after year.

Consumers and producers across the Midwest may find themselves humming the familiar "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" tune all year long, thanks to ongoing research and outreach efforts to establish the chestnut industry conducted by the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA). Many people are familiar with the American Chestnut tree, once an abundant source of lumber and nut production across the southeast and eastern regions of the U.S. In addition to harvesting the tree for lumber, rural communities stored hundreds of pounds of chestnuts for livestock feed and selling to consumers, making the nut a substantial source of economic viability. Unfortunately, in 1904, the chestnut blight (introduced from Asia) was discovered in the American Chestnut tree, and the species was nearly eliminated from the American forest by 1950.

Ken Hunt, far right, UMCA chestnut research post-doctoral fellow, explains the growing process and market potential of the unique nuts. Fresh-roasted samples from the HARC farm chestnut research orchards are an annual highlight of the Missouri Chestnut Roast.

However, Missouri soils and climate are excellent for production of the sweet, starchy and versatile Chinese varieties of the chestnut, which are blight-resistant and can be planted in an orchard or alley cropping practice. The sweet, starchy nuts are high in nutrient content and an excellent addition to soups, meat dishes and desserts, including gourmet recipes.

UMCA is working to establish a viable chestnut industry, focusing its efforts on three key areas: national market research, production techniques/orchard management and increasing consumer demand and awareness. The long term objective is to change the image of chestnuts from that of a holiday tradition to a healthy year round food. The outcome of this effort will be an active program that reaches out to potential producers and establishes a multi-million dollar chestnut industry within the state of Missouri and surrounding states.

At the consumer level, the University of Missouri Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center (HARC), New Franklin, Mo., is the site of the annual Missouri Chestnut Roast -- the Center’s premier outreach event. The Chestnut Roast is an outstanding opportunity to introduce families and landowners to the broad range of possibilities and benefits agroforestry practices can provide. Hundreds of visitors each year enjoy their first sample of sweet, Missouri-grown roasted chestnuts, along with a variety of products featuring locally-grown black walnuts and pecans, as well as recipes and nutritional information to peak their interest in purchasing nut products.

Cheryl Jensen of the Native Plant Society demonstrates wreath making from decorative woody florals at the Chestnut Roast. Woody florals such as curly willow and red osier dogwood can be grown in agroforestry practices like riparian forest buffers for additional income opportunities.

The 2005 Missouri Chestnut Roast on Oct. 29, drew a record crowd of more than 4,000 guests from across the state to the HARC farm. Sales of fresh chestnuts and food samples of chestnut products from Missouri vendors were among the most popular of the day’s events. Guests filled the demonstration tent for the live bat demonstration, including children of all ages who came to enjoy this special presentation for the Halloween season. Tours of the 1819 Hickman House introduced visitors to a rare form of early Missouri architecture, and guided bus tours of the research farm remained full throughout the day. Food enthusiasts lined up to view the chestnut cooking demonstration by local chef Craig Cyr of The Wine Cellar and Bistro, Columbia, Mo., many enjoying samples of his delicious dishes. Tree grafting, wreath making and wood lathe demonstrations were new events this year. With live bluegrass music and spectacular views of the fall leaves across the Missouri River Hills, the day proved an enormous success.

For additional information about the Center for Agroforestry’s chestnut research and the annual Missouri Chestnut Roast, visit www.centerforagroforestry.org. Nutritional information, recipes and market research for chestnuts are also available.