One Thousand Chestnut Trees - a Whitetail Deer Project

[wbpdeer]

New Year's Tradition

1. Watch the Big Football Games
Tennessee Unleashes Our New Freshman RedShirt QB today. Big Orange Nation has Never Had More Anticipation Than This Game. Nico appears to be a Generatiional Player (At Least For My Volunteers). I am pulling for Bama and Longhorns. Guess i want a Rematch from the Sept Whipping Texas Gave Ole Nick.

2. As Soon as I get over Hollering at the TV College FB Games in a few days, I begin the process to start Seedlings for the upcoming year. 2023 was my Greatest Year - I will exceed 500 Chinese Chestnut Seedlings Given Away.

2024 will have a Legacy Project Honoring Our Friend Milton Lovelady. I am concentrating on DCO and Chinkapen Oak in 2024, too. I am going to help a newcomer on this forum with his farm in Central GA. getting chestnuts established.

3. Plan is to replace my Garage with a shop or add to my Garage. I may just add a Grow Room on the South Facing Side of My Garage.

4. We have been remodeling a home my Grandson is about to buy. Have to remodel it so the Appraiser gives the Loan a Thumbs Up. This week gonna wind up the remodeling phase.

If you are a seedling grower like me, now is the week to inspect the seeds and nuts you have been cold stratifying in the fridge.

Happy New Year to All Forum Users.

Go Big Orange Volunteers!!!
I am a UT Grad, Class of '75

 

[Jumpmasterkolo]

I got my seedlings planted following Wayne’s guidance. Each one got a mixture of local dirt, potting soil, and pearlite. They all got a three minute baptism if they were bare root. Then each got a little cage to protect them from rodents and a bigger cage from my tree eating deer.
We still need to add irrigation tubes later and as the trees grow, I’ll raise the large cages to keep the deer off the branches.
Once the trees around them start leafing out I’m going to thin them to ensure all the chestnuts get good sun. Then field will be solely persimmons, pears and chestnuts.
If a deer doesn’t eat on my property, something’s wrong!
GOD Bless you Wayne!

 

[Jumpmasterkolo]

I got my seedlings planted following Wayne’s guidance. Each one got a mixture of local dirt, potting soil, and pearlite. They all got a three minute baptism if they were bare root. Then each got a little cage to protect them from rodents and a bigger cage from my tree eating deer.
We still need to add irrigation tubes later and as the trees grow, I’ll raise the large cages to keep the deer off the branches.
Once the trees around them start leafing out I’m going to thin them to ensure all the chestnuts get good sun. Then field will be solely persimmons, pears and chestnuts.
If a deer doesn’t eat on my property, something’s wrong!
GOD Bless you Wayne!

And…AND since I split them with a fellow Green Beret, here’s a (old) picture of his.
They are 25’ apart and the tubes are all painted white now.
He also added 275 gallon tote of water up the hill with a hose that he’ll be able to water them with.

 

[wbpdeer]

Looking Good Southside,

Your other buddy that was wishing he got some chestnut seedings to plant, is he still interested in some seedlings? I think I can spare some if he will plant and protect as you have.

Let me know. How was your trip?

Congrats on a great job planting, it is the part of the process that too many mess up. They plant with the intent of protecting in a day or two but in the mean time the family doe groups have browsed the seedlings to death.

Wayne

 

[LetThemGrow]

I ventured over to this forum and this piques my interest. Is this an ongoing program? I’ve not read all 53 pages yet….

 

[yoderjac]

I ventured over to this forum and this piques my interest. Is this an ongoing program? I’ve not read all 53 pages yet….

Wayne (@wbpdeer) has been growing chestnut trees from nuts for many, many, years. He has been very gracious with sharing his expertise here on the forum and just as generous providing nuts he collects to others. I've venture that he is probably had a hand in many of the chestnuts growing across the country!

 

[wbpdeer]

I ventured over to this forum and this piques my interest. Is this an ongoing program? I’ve not read all 53 pages yet….

I started in 2014 with my Chinese Chestnut activities. It has been a great ride. Not every year is the same: I retired, 5 years later I suffered a mild heart attack, buried both of my in-laws. settled my mom's estate, and other issues that occur in an older person's life.

I have shipped over 22,000 chestnuts thru the US Post Office in their "Flat Rate Box" program - if you can fit the item in one of their standard boxes, you can ship it for their set fixed rate no matter where it ships to. One year I had over 500 bucks in outgoing postage sent out waiting for recipients to receive their nuts, inspect them and send me a check. I did cease shipping until I got some checks to recover part of that money.

I was on my tractor bush hogging when I realized chestnuts would make a great project for my upcoming retirement. Chinese Chestnuts are tough and once they germinate they will grow large green leaves if you treat them halfway right. I love watching them put on scaffold of leaves, I hate waiting on them to germinate. If you plant 30 nuts in growing media, the date from the 1st to germinate, to the last to germinate may span over 3 weeks. I am still get impatient again this spring cause I hate waiting on them to germinate- nature is in charge regardless of what I want.

I will be 71 years old in about 6 more weeks. I have given away over 500 trees in the last 12 months. I no longer shipping chestnuts in a flat rate box, and I have very rarely shipped bare root trees. Do I feel guilty for slowing down this project? No, I am glad I have enjoyed a good life and have been able to give away what I have.

I do have a lady in Mississippi that I have promised to ship some chestnuts that I met thru running my shed dogs. During this long chinese chestnut project, I bought two labs, got them trained and titled out in two organizations - 5 titles each. I sold one dog when I had my heart attack and buried my black lab the last Friday in January, about 7 weeks ago now.

My last big chinese chestnut project is 100 chinese chestnuts seedlings to be grown in honor of Milton Lovelady who died in 2023, a long-time contributor on this forum. His family and friends will be planting them across Alabama and a few other states this fall. I went to his funeral in Bibb County, Alabama and was moved by all the love in that country Church that day. I will not use any electricity to grow these, so in April when I am confident freezing temps can be managed I will stick about 115 chinese chestnuts to grow the 100 seedlings.

I hope others will be able to share what they grow with others similar to what I and others have done. I first began hunting deer at the age of 12 and just knew I wanted to give back to the deer. That I have done.

Yep, it has been a long journey and I have enjoyed it very much. I still get mad over the QDMA shutting down our other forum. We are lucky to have this forum, but how they shut down so fast much was lost in that transition. This thread is long to read and you are getting part of the journey.

If anyone reads something and has a question, please it here so I or others can reply to help you and others who wish they had asked but didn't.

I can answer two questions now: I am not shipping chestnuts and I am not shipping seedlings. If you want seedlings and live close to Portland, TN or would be willing to travel to pick them up - then reach out to me. I may be in a position to work something out.

I want to thank Cutman and the others that stepped up in a matter of 2 or 3 days to get this forum created and going. I no longer use email since hackers created issues with me. Text me at 615.517.4873 or send me a PM on this forum.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Appreciate you Wayne

I've been growing all things Castenea every year since 2016 using techniques I learned from you,Jack,and mattpatt

It wouldn't be spring/summer without a backyard of baby trees being nursed and awaiting transplant to the field late fall

bill

 

[LetThemGrow]

Thanks for the reply. That’s an amazing story and your generosity is admirable and exemplary.

 

[wbpdeer]

I remember when I first discovered the old QDMA Forum. The knowledge and experience of the brain trust was impressive. I spent many hours reading and learning from those that had more experience than I. Their willingness to share practical knowledge that worked proved to be our downfall when the corporate interest realized what was occurring reduced their revenue stream.

I am thankful for those that helped me. We are fortunate to have this forum. I wish we had more traffic that we do but that is something that seems to go in cycles.

Anyone reading this thread, I hope you find info that helps you plant some seedlings, grow some and share your experience with others. Pass it on, someone did for me.

Thank You for your kind words.

 

[sparacino101]

All I can say is wow! I’ve read from the beginning and have picked up so much in the 2 hours I’ve been reading the post, absolutely incredible and humble people here. I kindly want to thank all the input from people on here and WBPDEER I feel like you have humbled others you have shared your passion and people here are picking it up through you. I’m 35 years old and a friend of mine and I were just saying today the older I get the smaller things in life I appreciate more like things like trees and plants and everything nature offers and I too want to give back to the wildlife so here I am researching and wanting to learn I planted 2 apple trees this year because the ones here on my property have a cedar rust to them and are breaking branches and I want to give back so each year I want to plant more trees apples and chestnuts. The two that I planted have taken off like wild fire kinda like my passion for wanting to give back. Just wanted to say thanks to all and happy planting!

 

[wbpdeer]

All I can say is wow! I’ve read from the beginning and have picked up so much in the 2 hours I’ve been reading the post, absolutely incredible and humble people here. I kindly want to thank all the input from people on here and WBPDEER I feel like you have humbled others you have shared your passion and people here are picking it up through you. I’m 35 years old and a friend of mine and I were just saying today the older I get the smaller things in life I appreciate more like things like trees and plants and everything nature offers and I too want to give back to the wildlife so here I am researching and wanting to learn I planted 2 apple trees this year because the ones here on my property have a cedar rust to them and are breaking branches and I want to give back so each year I want to plant more trees apples and chestnuts. The two that I planted have taken off like wild fire kinda like my passion for wanting to give back. Just wanted to say thanks to all and happy planting!

Thank you for the kind words. Thank you for planting trees and giving back to the wildlife. NativeHunter can advise you which apple tree varieties are best to avoid cedar rust. For me personally, I realized later in life, that it was more rewarding to give than receive. I believe I can say in some areas, I have left the world better than I found it.

Right now is when it is easy to locate chestnut trees as they have a lime green sheen to them with all of the catkins on them. I encourage you to see if you can locate some in your area that will bear chestnuts this fall (Sept or Oct in most areas). Growing your own seedlings if fun and this thread addresses how to navigate the process.

I will leave you with one wise piece of advice, it is better to plant 5 trees correctly and protected, than to plant 50 trees wrong and unprotected.

Welcome to this forum.

wbpdeer

 

[Native Hunter]

For wildlife apple trees to grow in New York, I would call Ryan at Blue Hill. There are two reasons for this. First, he has devoted his life to finding, evaluating and propagating disease resistant wildlife trees, and his general knowledge on the subject exceeds anyone else I have ever spoken to. Second, he spent countless hours on Chainsaw's (Dave's) 600 acres in New York evaluating all of the many wild apples, crabapples and applecrabs that grow there. He now sells the best of the best that he found on that property. With already proven New York trees being planted in New York, I think it would be hard to go wrong.

 

[wbpdeer]

Need Chinese Chestnuts for a Person to Plant

I am through with all my chestnuts. One week later I get a message from a man that wants to plant some. He has 4 seedlings that have survived from past seasons and wishes to add to them.

Anyone on here have some Chinese Chestnuts they are willing to ship to help this person out? The drought hurt production in many areas of the country. If you are yes, I say give me a price for one pound and a price for two pounds/

Thanks.

wbpdeer

 

[RGrizzzz]

Need Chinese Chestnuts for a Person to Plant

I am through with all my chestnuts. One week later I get a message from a man that wants to plant some. He has 4 seedlings that have survived from past seasons and wishes to add to them.

Anyone on here have some Chinese Chestnuts they are willing to ship to help this person out? The drought hurt production in many areas of the country. If you are yes, I say give me a price for one pound and a price for two pounds/

Thanks.

wbpdeer

Shop Seed Nuts – Route 9 Cooperative

route9cooperative.com

 

[wbpdeer]

Shop Seed Nuts – Route 9 Cooperative

route9cooperative.com

Thanks, Grizz. I had checked earlier and believed their crop was poor due to the drought they suffered. I sent them an email to get a direct answer. I am not interested in chestnuts they sale for culinary purposes. So, I expect to get an answer from them shortly, one way or the other.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Thanks, Grizz. I had checked earlier and believed their crop was poor due to the drought they suffered. I sent them an email to get a direct answer. I am not interested in chestnuts they sale for culinary purposes. So, I expect to get an answer from them shortly, one way or the other.

It says you can pre-order seed nuts.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Need Chinese Chestnuts for a Person to Plant

I am through with all my chestnuts. One week later I get a message from a man that wants to plant some. He has 4 seedlings that have survived from past seasons and wishes to add to them.

Anyone on here have some Chinese Chestnuts they are willing to ship to help this person out? The drought hurt production in many areas of the country. If you are yes, I say give me a price for one pound and a price for two pounds/

Thanks.

wbpdeer

If you are still looking for some Chinese, I have a few extra that I purchased this fall for planting this winter. I have Dunstan, Qing, and Empire (assorted). The Dunstan are from Chestnut Ridge, the Qing are from University of Missouri, and Empire are from Route9 Cooperative.

 

[wbpdeer]

I say you got three good sources there. I hope you can share those with someone else, I am good. No longer need any.

The Qing from the University of Missouri are good chestnuts from what feedback I receive from multiple sources.

Thanks Hoytvectrix