We are a small farm growing chestnuts—a nutritious, climate-resilient staple crop—using ecological agroforestry systems that integrate small fruit and livestock. We started planting our chestnut trees in 2018 and have been continuing to plant new trees every year since. Now, almost ten years later the oldest trees are bearing; we harvested over 1,000 lbs in 2025.
We grow long-lived Chinese chestnut and complex hybrid crosses that are blight resistant and well-adapted to our cold-climate. This is a generational project– the trees will be bearing for many decades to come. Come help us rebuild our cultural connection to chestnuts; share a recipe, or story about your family traditions, eat fresh, roasted nuts with us, or buy a tree for your yard.
Fields
We have three fields right now. Our Big River Chestnuts home field in Sunderland, where we planted our first trees, is 7.5 acres and has our farm shop, processing hub, and is the location of the Chestnut Festival every October. This field is more diversified, with a windbreak hedgerow of hazelnuts, northern pecans, mulberry and other species, There is a basket willow block, interplanted alley crops of black currant, elderberry, and aronia, and various other plantings of persimmon, hazelnut, goji, and chinkapin.
In 2023 we planted 5 acres of chestnuts at Mockingbird Farm in Easthampton. Our long-term lease enables us to tend and harvest from these trees for many years. This farm has several other farmers growing other crops, including Karl Prahl who raises chickens (Underline Farm).
Also in 2023 we took on management of a new property in South Deerfield on Settright Road, working in a close collaboration with Seven Hills Farmstead on a vibrant agroforestry site implementing alley cropping, silvopasture, contour planting, mulching, and cover cropping. This former corn and tillage land is 67 acres. From 2023-2026 we planted 1000’s of trees, including chestnuts, walnuts, oaks, hickories, hazelnuts, persimmon, and honeylocust planted as well as support plants such as Amorpha fruticosa.
We have many collaborations in our operation from Matt and Rachel’s sheep flock (Meadowfed Lamb) grazing in Sunderland and South Deerfield to our colleague Piyush Labhsetwar of Grow Food Northampton growing trial kernza plots.
Processing Hub
As our harvests increase we are establishing a Processing Hub, where we and other growers can bring their chestnuts, and eventually other nuts and perennial crops. The farm has received grant funding through several Massachusetts state programs to support purchase of equipment and infrastructure upgrades. These improvements will support the regional food systems and increase farm and community food resilience. So far, we’ve purchased nine pieces of chestnut processing equipment such as a heat treatment-washer, nut sizer, grading table, drier, hammer mill, and flour mill. We’ll be getting the processing line set up in 2026.
Why Chestnuts?
Chestnuts are a nutritious, climate-resilient staple crop with strong potential to improve food security, diversify local diets, and build economic resilience across Massachusetts. Chestnuts are perennial, deep-rooted trees that sequester carbon, require minimal inputs, and improve soil structure and water retention. We use agroforestry methods—intercropping chestnuts with small fruits and integrating livestock—which enhance biodiversity, soil health, and ecological resilience. These practices are documented in our SARE-funded project, Measuring Soil Health and Carbon Sequestration in an Emerging Chestnut Agroforestry System (SARE NE, 2022).
Chestnuts offer a nutritious, gluten-free, storable carbohydrate that can serve as a locally grown staple in communities with limited access to healthy food. Through this project, we are preparing to supply wholesale markets and food access programs with high-quality chestnuts.
By collaborating with other Massachusetts farmers, we’re building a regional chestnut supply chain that supports food security, environmental stewardship, and equitable access. Our work spans production, processing, aggregation, and distribution with the goal of making locally grown chestnuts widely available. We are also enrolled as a SNAP/EBT vendor to ensure our products are accessible to low-income consumers. As supply increases, prices will become more accessible, expanding the role of chestnuts in Franklin County, Massachusetts, and beyond.
Chestnuts: From the Farm to You
