Fall Chestnut Roast with SilvoCulture

Join us for our 2nd Annual Chestnut Roast! We will have roasted chestnuts to taste, fresh nuts to buy, a fall-harvest themed chestnutty lunch, nutty baked goods, local food and drink, live music, eco-friendly vendors, tours, talks, demos, and more!

The Roast will be held outside, on the beautiful grounds of Fox Haven Farm & Learning Center, with the option of amazing indoor spaces in the case of rain. Enjoy views of the trees, fields, and gardens! Go on a guided tour of Fox Haven’s mixed fruit and nut orchard featuring several productive chestnut trees! Enjoy community, vendors, music, good food and drink while supporting the comeback of delicious, treasured chestnuts!

The American Chestnut was a staple crop in the mid-Atlantic region for wildlife, Native Americans, and early settlers and farmers. Sadly, around 1900 the Chestnut Blight started to wipe out most of these magnificent trees. Today, SilvoCulture, Fox Haven Farm & Learning Center, and others are working to get the chestnut back into our landscapes and our food system! These incredible trees are often referred to as the “Bread Tree” because the nuts are rich in healthy carbohydrates and low in fats; a perfect nut for producing nutritious gluten-free flour.

Join us in creating a new culture around Chestnuts! They belong back in our food systems as a land-regenerating tree, a health food, and a perennial staple crop!

Note: This year, kids 12 years old and under are free if accompanied by an adult.

This year’s Chestnut Roast will include the following:

–Tastings of roasted chestnuts and chestnut flour pancakes

–Bulk chestnuts and select chestnut tree seedlings for sale to take home

–A Chestnutty lunch (with vegan and meat options)- a menu including soup, sandwich, salad, a baked good, and a drink, co-created between SilvoCulture staff and the Common Market, prepared and served by the Common Market cafe chefs! (additional fee; purchase as an add-on at ticket check-out, not available for purchase at the event)

–Vendors selling nutty sourdough bread and prepared local foods plus wellness, art, & environment vendors

–Raffle baskets with donated prizes from vendors

–Live music by The Rhizomes

–Tours of the Orchard by Fox Haven Staff

–Chestnut Talks with Michael Judd & Taylor Logsdon

–Talk & Demo of nut shellers and cooking with chestnuts with Eric Joseph Lewis

–Kids free play and activity area with games

The event is planned to be all outdoors with plenty of space and flow . We are spacing out the various activities, setting up hand sanitizer stations, or if event moves indoors and we are required, may ask folks to wear masks.