PA-NJ Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation

Purchase tickets HERE,

or RSVP to pay at the door: phone 814-863-7192 or email aso5287@psu.edu.

The schedule for the meeting is as follows:

8:30-9:30 Breakfast / social hour

9:30-9:45 Introduction by chapter president Dan O’Keefe

9:45-10:45 Presentation by Sue Tantsits; Agroforestry and the American Chestnut

10:45-11:15 Chief conservation officer Sara Fitzsimmons to discuss historical perspective

11:15 -12:15 Presentation by Vasiliy Lakoba; Recent and Ongoing Trials- Strategic Science at Meadowview Farms

12:15-1:15 lunch

1:15-2:15 Presentation by Lake Graboski; Applied Science at the Chapter Level

We can’t wait to see you there!

PA/NJ Chapter Internships at Penn State University

Help restore the American chestnut while getting paid!

Operate tractors, mowers, and chainsaws (equipment use and maintenance); learn inoculation techniques (plant pathology), seedling care (greenhouse management and horticulture), and silvicultural techniques (forestry); and perform data collection, entry, and analysis (research). Work will be 50/50 inside and outside.

Applications are accepted from January 1 through March 1. This is a 10 week position, beginning May (flexible start date) through August, with potential work through the fall semester. This is a chestnut research project on the Penn State University campus. Chosen interns will be employees of PSU. (Go Nittany Lions!) To be included in our review for an internship with The PA/NJ chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation at PSU, please email a cover letter, references, and a resume to TACF North Central Regional Science Coordinator Lake Groboski lake.graboski@tacf.org and Penn State Orchard Manager Noah Vincent nev5073@psu.edu.

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Spring Growers Meeting,  now scheduled for Saturday, March 29th at the Allen Theatre in Annville, PA. We are in the process of putting together the program. If you would like to be involved with planning this meeting please email the Chapter Administrator at mail@patacf.org.

Below are some photos from our 2024 Spring Growers Meeting

This recipe comes from the cookbook, “Classic Chestnut Cuisine” which is for sale in our online store.

Chestnut Soup Recipe

• • 1 lb. of chestnuts
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1/4 cup of butter
  • 1 minced onion
  • 1 Tbsp. of flour
  • 1 tsp. of salt
  • 1/8 tsp. each of nutmeg and pepper
  • 1/2 cup of chopped celery leaves
  • 1 cup of cream

Mash chestnuts well. Combine with milk and beat until smooth, then set the mixture aside. In your soup pot, melt butter, add onion and simmer until soft and golden. Sprinkle with flour, salt, nutmeg, pepper, and celery leaves. Stir in the cream. Heat and serve garnished with parsley or croutons. Makes about three cups.  Note: All cream soups are ruined by boiling, so be sure to hear just to the boiling point or cook it in the top of a double boiler.

Have you tried this recipe? Let us know.

The PA/NJ Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation will be back in person at the 2025 PA Farm Show (January 4th to 11th).

Sign up to share the story of the American chestnut with attendees of the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg. SignUp here!

Sign up with friends or family and make a day of it. 

• Friday morning, the 3rd: we may need help unloading and setting up our display.
• Saturday, the 4th, through Friday, the 12th the hours are 9 am to 9 pm.
• Saturday the 11th the event ends at 5:00 pm

Learn more about the PA Farm Show!

In order to help achieve our wild American conservation objectives, Chapter Board Member, Lake Graboski is setting up targeted “American Chestnut Conservation Missions”. Each mission will identify areas of special interest to our breeding program. We encourage individual hikers and local conservation groups to join these missions to help search for American chestnuts. 

Mission #1: Southwestern PA (Issued 6/3/2022)

Mission #2 Southern New Jersey

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