Episodios

  • Roger Blackwell on Growing a National Chestnut Movement

    Roger Blackwell on Growing a National Chestnut Movement
    Oct 9 2025
    Melanie Jones sits down with Roger Blackwell, President of Chestnut Growers of America, to talk about the momentum building in the U.S. chestnut industry. Together they explore what’s changed, what’s ahead, and how growers across the country are uniting to shape the next chapter of this remarkable tree crop.

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    32 m
  • What the Heck is SEO (and Why Chestnut Growers Should Care)

    What the Heck is SEO (and Why Chestnut Growers Should Care)
    Sep 20 2025
    🌐 What the Heck is SEO (and Why Should Chestnut Growers Care?)

    Hi friends—Melanie Jones here with United Chestnuts, and today we’re breaking down a big, messy topic in a way that makes sense for farmers: 👉 SEO (Search Engine Optimization) If you're a grower who wants to sell more chestnuts, trees, or host visitors to your orchard—but don’t have time to become a digital marketing expert—this episode is for you. We’ll cover:
    • Why chestnut growers need SEO—even if you’re not “online people”
    • Simple ways to get your orchard found in Google, Facebook, and TikTok
    • What terms like AEO and GEO actually mean (and how they help)
    • How United Chestnuts is making this easy with tools, templates, and support
    💻 Learn more and join the movement: unitedchestnuts.com/resources 🌰 Chestnuts are coming back—and we’re building the system to support them.

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    9 m
  • Ecdysis at EBB Farms: Inside the 1000 Farms Initiative

    Ecdysis at EBB Farms: Inside the 1000 Farms Initiative
    Aug 29 2025
    Today we’re out in the orchard with Nora D’Antuono from the Ecdysis Foundation, talking real‑world regenerative agriculture: soil health that sticks, biodiversity that pays back, and farmer‑led research through the 1000 Farms Initiative. We dig into tools like the BugBox and Xerinx, why insects are powerful indicators of farm health, and how community + data help farmers move from “hope” to “proof.” Recorded at EBB Farms (Western Kentucky)—the chestnut-growing testbed powered by the United Chestnuts movement. You’ll hear:
    • What 1000 Farms is measuring—and why it matters to your bottom line
    • Simple biodiversity practices that fit real schedules and budgets
    • The role of the BugBox/Xerinx in tracking ecosystem health
    • How growers are sharing data, stories, and momentum
    Resources: unitedchestnuts.com/resources
    Resources: ecdysis.bio
    Connect: United Chestnuts Community (FB), Ecdysis Foundation, Blue Dasher Farm Tags: #RegenerativeAgriculture #SoilHealth #Biodiversity #1000Farms #Ecdysis #Chestnuts #UnitedChestnuts #EBBFarms

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    43 m
  • OffShoot Edition - Reserve Chestnut Seedlings and Chestnuts Now

    OffShoot Edition - Reserve Chestnut Seedlings and Chestnuts Now
    Aug 16 2025
    🎙️ Branching Out: Growing Together

    At EBB Farms, our Grow-Bag Strategy makes all the difference. We raise each seedling in a three-gallon breathable grow bag inside protected nurseries. They’re watered daily, weeded, and carefully staked — building a dense, fibrous root system that establishes quickly once planted. Before shipping, we gently shake off the soil and send the tree dormant, so you get the very same strong, orchard-ready trees we plant ourselves. In this episode, we explain why it pays to reserve your chestnut trees early. Demand is high, and these bare root seedlings are already in motion. Learn how they’re raised, what sets them apart, and why they often show faster growth in the field. 👉 Reserve now, and be ready to plant success. Details at unitedchestnuts.com/ebb-farms

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    6 m
  • Regenerative Roots: Willie Huston on Farming, Music, and Land Legacy

    Regenerative Roots: Willie Huston on Farming, Music, and Land Legacy
    Aug 16 2025
    At Pick N Grin Farm in western Kentucky, Willie Huston is doing more than raising crops—he’s cultivating a way of life rooted in observation, resilience, and joy. From silvopasture to biomimicry, mob grazing to music, Willie shares how tending the land has shaped his livelihood, his family, and his community. This episode is a reminder that restoring the earth begins with paying attention to what’s already there. What you’ll hear in this episode:
    • How Willie blends chestnuts, livestock, and wildflowers into a thriving farm ecosystem
    • The role of curiosity and observation in regenerative farming
    • Why diversity—of crops, community, and skills—creates resilience
    • The link between music, creativity, and land stewardship
    • Tips for starting your own small-scale farm with purpose
    Listen in, and let’s grow together.

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    53 m
  • Finding Your Why: The Deeper Reasons We Grow Chestnuts

    Finding Your Why: The Deeper Reasons We Grow Chestnuts
    Jul 31 2025
    What drives you to grow chestnuts—not just in year one, but year ten? In this episode, Melanie revisits a question that keeps surfacing in our orchard, at conferences, and in every email from new growers:

    “What’s your why?” Drawing from personal experience and stories from growers like Brad and Sandy Russell, we explore what happens when you follow your reasons all the way down. Plus, Melanie shares a simple, powerful reflection tool you can download to clarify your own path. In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • Why your “why” matters more than your business plan
    • How surface reasons often evolve into deeper ones
    • Real motivations that keep chestnut growers going
    • What to ask yourself when things get hard
    • How to use the 7-question “Find Your Why” exercise
    More Resources to Explore
    • Listen to: Finding Our Why: Why Chestnuts, and Why Now
    • Download the Seven Whys Reflection Tool
    • Read: The Advantages of Tree Crops
    • Watch: Brad + Sandy Rusell on The Branching Out: Growing Together podcast or Brad Russell on The Branching Out: Growing Together podcast


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    8 m
  • OffShoot Edition - Advantages of Tree Crops

    OffShoot Edition - Advantages of Tree Crops
    Jul 13 2025
    🎙️ You’re listening to Branching Out: Growing Together, and I’m your host, Melanie Jones.

    Today’s solo episode is all about starting with your why—a nod to the wisdom of Simon Sinek, and a principle we live by here at EBB Farms and United Chestnuts. Because when it comes to choosing what to grow—especially tree crops—your reason matters.

    Maybe you want to improve your soil. Maybe you want to plant a long-term food source, build a family sanctuary, support wildlife, or leave a legacy that’s nutrient-rich and carbon-smart. Whatever your why, tree crops offer something powerful: a regenerative, perennial path forward. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the most common reasons people are turning to chestnut orchards and tree crops—and share how they connect to broader movements in agroforestry, food security, and land stewardship.

    If you’re just starting out—or even just dreaming—this is a great place to begin. 📍 You can read the full blog and explore our other tools and resources at unitedchestnuts.com. Let’s grow something good, together.

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    12 m
  • Land, Legacy & the Future of Farming: Small Business Lessons from Chestnuts

    Land, Legacy & the Future of Farming: Small Business Lessons from Chestnuts
    May 5 2025
    This Small Business Week, we’re digging deep into how chestnuts can power more than just your pantry — they can build a business.Melanie shares what she’s learned from financial advisor and grower Joel Hubbard and Propagate’s Jeremy Kaufman about building real business models around chestnut orchards. From land structure and taxes to agroforestry and next-generation planning, this episode is packed with insight for farmers, landowners, and dreamers alike.

    You’ll hear:
    • Why Joel believes chestnuts belong in your investment portfolio
    • How Jeremy is helping farmers scale agroforestry across the U.S.
    • Funding, planning, and structure tips for your chestnut orchard
    • The emotional and financial power of planting for future generations
    If you’re thinking about how to grow smarter, this one’s for you.Learn more and subscribe at unitedchestnuts.com and follow Branching Out: Growing Together for more interviews, field notes, and stories from the chestnut community.

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    15 m