By Blake Jackson
More than 1,500 people came together on Saturday, October 18, to celebrate Missouri’s thriving agroforestry community at the annual Chestnut Roast Festival in New Franklin.
Hosted by the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri’s Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Farm, the event connected farmers, chefs, extension agents, nonprofits, and local businesses involved in the perennial crops sector.
The celebration actually began the day before the festival with a field workshop on tree crop cultivation and agroforestry system design. This year marked the Center’s first-ever workshop dedicated to hazelnut production in the Midwest.
Around 50 growers and technical experts spent the day exploring the Center’s hazelnut plantings and hearing insights from leading researchers, including Tom Molnar of Rutgers University, as well as Ron Revord, Aubrey Teckham, and Bryan Webber from the Center for Agroforestry. Participants left enthusiastic about the growing potential of the regional hazelnut industry.
On Saturday morning, more than 30 vendors and 50 volunteers set up booths offering everything from tree nuts and artisan products to native plants and agroforestry resources. Visitors sampled and took home recipes featuring Missouri’s signature crops black walnuts, pecans, elderberries, hazelnuts, and chestnuts.
The culinary experience was a highlight of the event. Chestnuts were served in multiple forms roasted, pressure-cooked, churned into ice cream by Buck’s Ice Cream, and prepared in a savory soup by Pasta La Fata. Thanks to collaborations with Rutgers University and the Hybrid Hazelnut Consortium, roasted hazelnuts were also available.
The Mizzou Agroforestry and Forestry Student Organization sold hazelnut blondies, black walnut cookies, and elderberry lemonade, raising over $500 for student development and scholarships.
Another popular attraction was the Mizzou tree sugaring booth, offering tastings of unique syrups made from sycamore, birch, black walnut, and maple with black walnut syrup emerging as a crowd favorite.
Festivalgoers also enjoyed hayride tours through research orchards, live music by Noah Earle Music and Ironweed Bluegrass Band, and creative children’s activities. Even a heavy afternoon downpour couldn’t dampen spirits after a day filled with food, learning, and celebration of Missouri’s vibrant agroforestry community.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-sisoje
Categories: Missouri, General