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Michigan chestnuts usher in the holiday season

By Sara Long, Project GREEEN

Photo by Kurt Stepnitz Michigan-grown chestnuts, which grow in a spiny shell, are making their way to local grocers’ shelves and even to Chicago street markets. According to Dennis Fulbright, professor of plant pathology and chestnut researcher, it has been a good harvest year, despite a severe spring frost. This is the first year that Michigan chestnut growers have contracted with a distributor to market Michigan-grown chestnuts to groceries and markets around the state.

It’s not too early to start imagining the sight and smell of chestnuts roasting on an open fire as harvesting of this year’s Michigan-grown chestnut crop is drawing to a close, and soon fresh chestnuts will be stocked on local grocers’ shelves.

This year is another bountiful year for chestnut growers, says Dennis Fulbright, professor of plant pathology and chestnut researcher.

“We’re really happy with this year’s crop,” he said. “Even though a severe frost this past spring damaged much of the crop from Ludington up to Traverse City, the rest of the state had a good harvest year. This year’s big crop was a pleasant surprise because we thought the trees might take a rest this year after last year’s bumper crop.”

Fulbright says a lot of the Michigan chestnut crop is sold at street markets in Chicago.

“Chicago street markets such as the Division and Green Street markets have been terrific conduits for selling Michigan chestnuts,” he said. “Our vendor is about the only one there who sells fresh chestnuts. Chefs and others interested in innovative or gourmet items such as chestnut salsa and chestnut maple syrup are becoming familiar with us.”

This is the first year that Michigan chestnut growers have contracted with a distributor to market Michigan-grown chestnuts to groceries and markets around the state.

“Chestnuts are usually sold at Italian specialty stores and at other grocery outlets, but you need to ask the produce manager if they have been imported from Italy or are Michigan-grown,” Fulbright said. “If you can’t find them at your local store, ask for them.”

One local retail outlet that sells Michigan-grown chestnuts is Roma Bakery in Lansing. Fulbright says it is one of the first stores to handle Michigan chestnuts and has been selling them for the past several years.

People will also have several chances to sample fresh Michigan-grown chestnuts at upcoming events around the state.

Michigan-grown chestnuts will be served Nov. 11 at AutumnFest, a food- and fun-filled pre-football game event hosted by the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education; Nov. 17 at Silver Bells in the City, downtown Lansing; and during holiday events at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.

“Nothing says fall like chestnuts popping over a crackling fire, but chestnuts are a healthy addition to recipes, too,” Fulbright said. “Chestnuts are low in fat and low in calories. Chestnuts can be used in a variety of soups, purees and dressings, and chestnut flour can be used as a tasty alternative to traditional wheat flour.”

Fulbright and his colleagues will also be serving chestnuts and demonstrating a new dehydrated chestnut product Dec. 5-7 in the Project GREEEN booth at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo in Grand Rapids. Those interested in learning how to get started in the chestnut business can bring their questions to the exhibit.

“Because the edible chestnut market is becoming increasingly profitable, many people are interested in starting their own orchards,” Fulbright said. “We will be on hand to advise people on the basics of establishing chestnut orchards, including selecting the right tree varieties, determining where and when to plant, and what it takes to manage a chestnut grove.

“Growing chestnuts is actually still a pioneering effort and we don’t have all the answers,” he said. “We’re conducting ongoing research projects, which include developing efficient production practices and determining the best methods for processing, storing and packaging chestnuts. Project GREEEN funding has been key to many of our research advances and helped us leverage funding from other sources.”

Project GREEEN also helped purchase a peeling machine from Italy that Fulbright and his colleagues are using to shell Michigan-grown nuts efficiently. The machine is housed at the MSU Rogers Reserve Chestnut Research Station near Jackson, where Fulbright heads the chestnut research program.

To learn more about Project GREEEN, visit the Web at www.greeen.msu.edu