Maine Chapter

Seed Sales

Plant sooner or later?
Chinese chestnuts and hybrids sold commercially might resist blight but won’t necessarily thrive in northern climes.
If you want to get some American chestnuts, we can help!

The Maine Chapter of TACF collects seeds from native chestnut trees in Maine every year for:

  • Research purposes
  • Retail seedling sales
  • Volunteer rewards
  • Fundraising sales to support our work

Due to a late freeze in May of 2023, our harvest was much smaller than usual, leaving us too few chestnuts to offer them for sale to the public in 2024. If you’re looking for seeds to plant, let us know and we’ll contact you early in 2025.

There are good reasons to start planting sooner than later:

  • Your native chestnut trees can provide an ideal nursery shelter for planting blight-resistant chestnuts when they become available.
  • Growing native chestnuts now lets you test the suitability of your site. Soil must be acidic and well drained.
  • You can learn now what is needed to get good growth later.
  • Growing ME native chestnuts helps us preserve local genetic diversity.
  • Happy chestnuts can grow 4 feet in height and 1” diameter per year!
  • In 10 to 20 years, your native chestnuts will be producing nuts, poles, and small saw-logs.
How to get seeds or seedlings

Here are ways to get chestnuts to plant and enjoy:

  • Join TACF and receive an invitation to buy our limited supply of pure American seeds or seedlings if/when available.
  • Lend a hand at a volunteer event.
  • Ellis’ Greenhouse in Hudson ME often sells seedlings during the summer months.
  • Buy 2-yr-old Maine chestnut seedlings from Fedco Trees. Fedco buys seeds from the ME Chapter and gives us back $3 per tree.

Maine Chapter Menu

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WANTED: information leading to the identification of this man for creating the world's most amazing and horrifying American chestnut costume.

The Facts:
1. Photo was taken on June 28, 1998 according to date stamp.
2. Photo has been circulated by TACF Chief Conservation Coordinator Sara Fitzsimmons for many years but she has no idea where it came from.
3. Google Image Search returns no matches on the web.
4. Eep.
5. While the nut of an American chestnut does have a tassel on top, an American chestnut bur does not. And we have to assume the green part is meant to be a bur... right?
6. Wow.
7. There are seedlings in milk cartons on the table so it is safe to assume this was a chestnut-related event, and not an open house where fathers in the military are invited to attend a Furry Convention.

If you or someone you love came into contact with this man 25 years and 9 months ago today, please come forward with any information.

Together we can solve one of the greatest mysteries in the history of American chestnut conservation.
... See MoreSee Less

WANTED: information leading to the identification of this man for creating the worlds most amazing and horrifying American chestnut costume.

The Facts:
1. Photo was taken on June 28, 1998  according to date stamp.
2. Photo has been circulated by TACF Chief Conservation Coordinator Sara Fitzsimmons for many years but she has no idea where it came from.
3. Google Image Search returns no matches on the web.
4. Eep.
5. While the nut of an American chestnut does have a tassel on top, an American chestnut bur does not. And we have to assume the green part is meant to be a bur... right?
6. Wow.
7. There are seedlings in milk cartons on the table so it is safe to assume this was a chestnut-related event, and not an open house where fathers in the military are invited to attend a Furry Convention.

If you or someone you love came into contact with this man 25 years and 9 months ago today, please come forward with any information. 

Together we can solve one of the greatest mysteries in the history of American chestnut conservation.Image attachment

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

5. Oh for pete's sake. The female chestnut flower absolutely does have stigmas sticking out of the top of the developing bur.

1996, so 27 years and 9 months ago.

Wedding band visible, so there was some nutty person who wed him!

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Ask away!

Our April 19 Chestnut Chat will provide detailed instructions on how to grow chestnuts. But we need to hear your questions so we know what to cover!

Please add your questions in the comments below and we will do our best to cover them all in the April Chestnut Chat.

Remember there are no dumb questions! We encourage everybody, from complete beginners to seasoned pros, to join in.

Let's grow some chestnuts!

Can't wait for an answer? Check out our Growing Chestnuts page in the meantime at tacf.org/growing-chestnuts
... See MoreSee Less

Ask away!

Our April 19 Chestnut Chat will provide detailed instructions on how to grow chestnuts. But we need to hear your questions so we know what to cover!

Please add your questions in the comments below and we will do our best to cover them all in the April Chestnut Chat.

Remember there are no dumb questions! We encourage everybody, from complete beginners to seasoned pros, to join in.

Lets grow some chestnuts!

Cant wait for an answer? Check out our Growing Chestnuts page in the meantime at https://tacf.org/growing-chestnuts

7 CommentsComment on Facebook

What other kind of trees or vegetation should they NOT be plant near?

Where can we find seedlings? Seeds?

Best place to source from.

View more comments

Did you know that TACF has 16 state chapters? They each host a variety of events over the year and here are some that are coming up soon.

Visit our events calendar for more information on these and other TACF happenings. tacf.org/events/category/tacf/
... See MoreSee Less

Did you know that TACF has 16 state chapters? They each host a variety of events over the year and here are some that are coming up soon. 

Visit our events calendar for more information on these and other TACF happenings. https://tacf.org/events/category/tacf/

Thank you to everyone who attended a 40th Anniversary Celebration with their local chapter of TACF.

Top photo: Attendees of the TN Chapter Annual Meeting and 40th Anniversary Celebration, which took place at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

Bottom photo: Attendees of the AL Chapter post-meeting enjoying some brews.

To read more about these and many other TACF happenings, visit the link to read our most recent eSprout newsletter. myemail.constantcontact.com/March-2024-eSprout--Documentary-Wins-an-Award--Domain-Change--Plantin...
... See MoreSee Less

Thank you to everyone who attended a 40th Anniversary Celebration with their local chapter of TACF. 

Top photo: Attendees of the TN Chapter Annual Meeting and 40th Anniversary Celebration, which took place at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

Bottom photo: Attendees of the AL Chapter post-meeting enjoying some brews. 

To read more about these and many other TACF happenings, visit the link to read our most recent eSprout newsletter. https://myemail.constantcontact.com/March-2024-eSprout--Documentary-Wins-an-Award--Domain-Change--Planting-Resources--TACF-News--Featured-Photo--Chapter-News.html?soid=1106103828995&aid=M8kn7e4P1A4

Thanks to everybody who joined us Tuesday for an American chestnut demonstration planting with Jamie Van Clief (TACF Regional Science Coordinator) and Jon Taylor (chestnut enthusiast extraordinaire) at West Asheville Park's edible garden in Asheville, NC!

To find a planting event near you, vist tacf.org/events (link in bio)
... See MoreSee Less

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Are those the 18-20’s from the TVA plot? Good use for them, glad to see

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