Visiting Polyface Farm and Gathering American Chestnuts

[pa_friendly_guy]

That rain you were getting down there 2 days ago has now hit Pa. We are to get over an inch today, don't know how much tommorrow. It OK though, I planted about 20 chuncks of decoritive grass yesterday, hauled a couple of buckets of water to them when I planted, but not the Good Lord is doing that for me. The stuff is supposed to be extremally hardy, the guy who gave it to me said he had dug some up and left it for a year sitting out befor he planted it, and it still grew.

[George Collins]

A day of indoor activities for rain fell steadily all morning and on-again/off-again until dark. Instead of Chimney Rock National Park, we went to the bane of civilization: a mall. While there, we took the kids to one of them there canned science themed amusement thingies called The Health Adventure followed by Madagascar 3. The science thingy was OK. Madagascar 3? Well, they should have stopped at Madagascar 2.

A quick bite of lunch put us on the road and we are now in Christiansburg, VA which is within easy striking distance of the chestnut orchard we will all be working in tomorrow from 9:00 to 12:00.

When we originally planned our trip, we offered our services for the whole week. They were only accepted for one day and only from the 9:00 to 12:00 window. Seems as if these Virginia folk keep different hours than us Mississippians.

The fires are stoked high right now. I can't wait to see my first pure American Chestnut in the flesh. This has been a decade plus long desire. Ever since learning about the blight all-but wiping out this most amazing tree, I've rooted for those striving to bring it back from the brink of extinction. Now that the opportunity to play some small part in that effort is near to hand, the moment is tremendously exciting.

[George Collins]

Chestnuts - harvested.
Day - beautiful.
Neck - sore.
Shoulders - aching.
Legs - noodle-ish
Fun - had.

The tree we helped harvest the burs from is named Thompson. As luck would have it, Thompson is the best tree with respect to blight resistance of any of the trees in any of The ACCF's test plots. After receiving our bag of burs which will require processing once home, tis estimated we have no fewer than 100 seeds. If 20% of them grow to reproductive maturity, I should be able to top out a hog or two on what they produce.

[pa_friendly_guy]

That is Great George. How old was the tree that you harvested ? I hope that you get a good germanation rate from your nuts. Try and seporate the male and female nuts so you will know what you have when you plant them. Good luck with your new project.

[matt walker]

Very cool George. I'll be interested in the rest of the process as well.

I thought of you yesterday. I have a good friend with a farm close by, we share our animals and work together on our farms. Our cows, sheep, and pigs are all related. I gave him sheep, he gives me pigs, we share the Dexter cows and bulls. He has a line on a breeding pair of Mangalitsas, and just may bring some home next week. Not cheap, but a cool opportunity. We'll see.

[George Collins]

Guy, the tree was 12 years old.

Matt, I just did some research on the mangalitsas and they sound like an interesting breed. I'd be interested in knowing how you like them in relation to your tamworths.

[Lollykoko]

That is phenomenal growth for a tree that is only 12 years old, IMO. I'm wishing you the best of luck with your seed, George. What sort of processing will you have to do when you get the burs home?

[George Collins]

Lolly, Yes, it is an amazing growth rate for a tree. The American Chestnut is the fastest growing tree native east of the Mississippi River. It is reputed to make timber at a rate of 5'/year which is faster even than that genetic freak of a loblolly pine used for timber plantings back home. What's crazier still is the fact that in this picture, you are only seeing one of the three main trunks which is close to but still not the tallest part of the tree.

The processing yet required is to de-bur the nuts as they open and afterwards to begin the process of cold stratification.

[George Collins]

We arrived at Polyface Farms at 9:54 a.m.

We left Polyface Farms at 1:34 p.m.

I intend to write an extensive review after digestion and reflection.

There is one picture taken that seems fairly self explanatory. Mr Salatin has a neighbor that also keeps cows. Their pastures are separated by only a fence. Mr Salatin's pasture is on the left:

[Lollykoko]

I am really hoping to attend Mr. Salatin's lecture this weekend at the Mother Earth News Fair. The videos I've seen have me convinced already and I've been raving about his pasturing methods to anyone who will listen. Maybe you will have written up your thoughts by the time I get back to my computer, George.