Local Grower Discovers Chestnut Culture in Cuneo
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Vol. 3 No. 1 Published by The Western Chestnut Growers Assn., Inc. Winter 2001 Scionwood Collection Local Grower Discovers Proves Useful for Member Growers CORVALLIS, Or. -- A few stalwart Chestnut Culture in Cuneo WCGA members braved chilly tempera- by Anthony Boutard tures and a dripping sky to collect scionwood at OSU’s Lewis-Brown Research he province and city of Cuneo are located in the Piedmont (foothill) region of Farm in Corvallis, on Thursday, Dec. 21. northwestern Italy, and flanked on the north, west and south by the alps. The riv- Organized by members Chris Foster and Ters flow eastward from the mountains and collect to form broad alluvial plains. Anthony Boutard, cuttings were taken from The plains are irrigated and grow a wide assortment of fruits, grains and vegetables. Pears, an assortment of varieties at the farm in- plums, peaches and apricots are densely lessened their value. More recently, some cluding Bouche de Betizac, Maraval, planted in roughly 12-foot wide rows, with orchards of hybrids have been planted in the Marsol, Marrone di Serrino, Layeroka and a spacing of 6 foot in the row, and cordoned plains, but the primary nut producing area a Chinese tree provided some years ago to on high trellises. Kiwi fruit are an exten- remains in the foothills. the orchard by Professor Liu Liu of sively planted and important crop for the re- Chestnuts grow most abundantly on the Nanking, China. gion. The mountain pastures provide a fine lower flanks of the mountains, especially on Foster said it was a little bit early to cut the north facing slopes. There are exten- (2-3 weeks), but he was concerned that un- sive wild stands, as well as carefully man- authorized individuals might deplete the avail- aged stands of grafted trees. The choicest able supply if the collection were postponed. locations are irrigated by an ancient system Scions were cut on 2-year wood, to of channels built under the direction of mon- help maintain moisture during the 4-5 asteries centuries ago. months they will be kept in cold storage Roughly 18 distinct indigenous variet- until grafting. ies of chestnuts are grown and marketed in Once scionwood was cut, Foster the Piedmont, along with six or so Euro- showed participants a collection of nuts Japanese hybrids. As a rule, varieties have from the trees used and others which he specific uses reflecting their intrinsic quali- had gathered at harvest time. There were ties. The small, white fleshed and easy to distinct differences in size, shape and color. peel nuts of Frattona, Pelosa and Siria va- There was some discussion about the diffi- rieties dry quicker and more evenly than culty in establishing generic standards when larger nuts, thus are favored a whole dry nuts there were such variations in the nuts them- or for flour. Historically, they were dried selves, and one member suggested that per- over a slow fire in specially a designed build- haps they should be sold by variety and not ing called a “secou.” The Garrone Rosso by size. and Marrone di Chuisa Pesio with their large Roasting chestnuts on the Via Roma, nut, golden flesh, and ability to survive the Cuneo, during Il Tiempo delle Castagne. RENEW YOUR long processing ordeal are particularly de- MEMBERSHIP TODAY sirable for marron glacés. Other varieties array of cheeses. The sound of cowbells is are used fresh, with some best boiled while ON THE heard throughout the steep mountain slopes. others are better roasted. ENCLOSED FORM The chestnut has been part of the Il Tiempo delle Castagne region’s culture for thousands of years. The The Province of Cuneo organizes a industry is composed of thousands of small grand celebration of the chestnut harvest in In This Issue family holdings, one to three hectares being early October. The heart of the Fiera del 1 Scionwood Collection at OSU typical. Marrone takes place on the city’s Via Roma 1 Cuneo Chestnut Culture Formerly, chestnuts grew along the which is closed off to traffic for the fair. The 2 President’s Message river plain near Cuneo. The nuts of this street is lined with a series of booths occu- 3 Letters to the Editor variety, Temperiva, mature very early. Early pied by trade groups, communities and mer- 3 Chestnuts Roasting in Boise nuts command a substantial premium in the 6 Subsurface Drip Irrigation chants. The air is redolent with roasting 8 Cook’s Corner market. Although examples of the cultivar chestnuts, local music and song, long leeks 8 Annual Meeting Information still exist, the larger stands have disappeared of Cervere, sausages, honey and fungi. as early nuts from more southern localities See Cuneo, p. 4 Winter 2001 1 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT WESTERN CHESTNUT GROWERS ASSN., INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Harvest is over and hopefully all of your PRESIDENT Steve Jones (506) 697-4160 chestnuts are sold. Every year brings new experi- Email: [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT Chris Foster ences in marketing chestnuts. It is extremely im- SECRETARY-TREASURER John Schroeder DIRECTOR Joe Avila portant to accumulate as many chestnut clients as DIRECTOR Ben Bole DIRECTOR Bob Schilpzand possible. We seem to attract a somewhat fickle DIRECTOR Ray Young clientele and there is no assurance that last years COMMITTEES Editor Carolyn Young sales mean anything with respect to this year’s Phone: (360) 887-4520 FAX: (360) 887-3669 email: [email protected] purchases. Another key to marketing is to start early. It is better to have more orders NOTICE than you can fill rather than the opposite situation. Orders change and new custom- The Western Chestnut is published quarterly by the Western Chestnut Growers Assn., Inc. at ers are hard to find late in the season. I find that marketing chestnuts is at least as dif- PO Box 841, Ridgefield, WA 98642. ficult as growing them. If you catch me on the right day I may admit that it is much Copyright 2001. Original articles may be reprinted with written permission of the author easier to grow them. and this publication. Regular membership is $20 per year per I am disappointed to inform you that we were not successful with our grant pro- person. Members receive The Western Chestnut quarterly. For foreign delivery contact Editor for posal with Dennis Fulbright and Michigan State University. One of the grants was pricing. Back issues may be obtained by awarded to a well-organized and active organic grower association. I was informed members. Membership applications may be obtained from the Secretary-Treasurer. that it will take many applications and some additional organization before chestnut POSTMASTER Send Address changes to WCGA, c/o PO growers across the U.S. will receive this type of grant. Cooperation and coordination Box 841, Ridgefield, WA 98642. among our sister grower organizations is a goal that we should set for our industry. ADVERTISING RATES Full page, camera ready (w/1 photo) .. $15.00 Applying together for these grants is a way to achieve that goal. Half page, camera ready (w/1 photo) ... 10.00 Quarter page ........................................... 7.50 st Our annual meeting is set for February 1 in Portland in conjunction with the Ag Business card (4 issues) ........................... 10.00 One classified ad per member per year is free Show. I hope all our members can attend. Please bring your harvest and marketing (max 6 lines, $2.50 ea add’l 6 lines). Ad details with you to the meeting. I find that the information shared by the growers space may be reserved with full payment but must meet established deadlines. If ad is tends to be some of the best information that comes from our meetings. There is no cancelled, money may be refunded if space is resold. Make checks payable to Western reason we all have to make the same mistakes over and over. I look forward to shar- Chestnut Growers Assn., Inc. All ads and other copy preferred in PC format on ing stories, good and bad, with you in February. disk or e-mail to [email protected]. Ads must adhere to published ad sizes for space Steve purchased. Call for specifics. Otherwise for best results, submit original photographs. Layout of ads will not be done until payment is received. Send EDITOR’S NOTES materials to P.O. Box 841, Ridgefield, WA 98642, or Fedex/Express Mail to 29112 NW This is an abbreviated issue so that we might include a renewal/application form 41st Ave., Ridgefield, WA 98642. Call for and a return envelope to make payment of your 2001 dues easy. Please fill it out and further info. mail to John Schroeder ASAP so that you don’t miss your next newsletter. PUBLICATION AND DEADLINES Anthony Boutard shares the highlights of his trip to Italy, his visit to the chestnut Fall issue deadline 9/10 mailed 10/1 Winter issue deadline 12/10 mailed 1/1 festival in Cuneo, and meetings with growers and others involved in the industry. If Spring issue deadline 3/10 mailed 4/1 you had no desire to travel there before, you will after reading his article. Summer issue deadline 6/10 mailed 7/1 A visit to Peggy Paul, on the streets of Boise, revealed a lady who is accomplish- EDITORIAL O PINION ing her goals of introducing chestnuts to the folks in that city. Marketing is high on her The views, articles and advertising appearing in The Western Chestnut Quarterly do not agenda. necessarily reflect the attitude nor policy of the In talking with several growers over the last few months I find that some of you are Western Chestnut Growers Assn., its members, in various stages of planning or installing new irrigation systems.