Jason Miller of Branch and Bloom Farms stands in front of his newly planted chestnut orchard in St. Johns, MI
About Our

Michigan Chestnut Orchard

Our chestnut orchard is a growing part of Branch and Bloom Farms in St. Johns, Michigan. While our trees are still young, they represent our commitment to planting for the future—cultivating something lasting through patience, care, and faith.
A Young

Orchard with a Purpose

We’ve planted our chestnut orchard with a long-term vision in mind. Chestnut trees take time to mature, but we believe in the beauty of slow, steady growth. Each season, we care for these trees with the hope that one day they will provide a harvest to share with our community.

Jason Miller holds chestnuts from one of his trees
Chestnuts get ready to burst forth from their prickly, green pod

Why Chestnuts?

You might know about chestnuts from the popular Christmas tune, but did you know the population of American chestnut trees was nearly wiped out in the early 1900s? We're on a two-fold mission: to fill the gap in the ongoing shortage, and to revive interest in this often obscure crop.

Growing chestnuts in Michigan also allows us to diversify our farm while investing in something that will serve future seasons.

Meet the Farmer

Jason Miller

With more than 20 years in the computer industry, Jason Miller never expected to fall in love with orcharding.

Jason first grew an interest in chestnut trees after attending a small town Christmas event.

Amazed by their flavor and captivated by their nostalgic nature, Jason began to research the trees.

He soon learned that the entire crop of American chestnuts nearly became extinct in the early 1900s after the arrival of blight.

Intrigued by his findings, Jason purchased and planted his first few trees. The restful act of planting became a welcomed escape after the long days of stress as a CEO.

Since then, a handful of trees has turned into 300 and counting.

Whether working in the dirt or working on his computer company, Jason’s driving force remains the same—to build.

Jason Miller of Branch and Bloom Farms standing next to a young chestnut tree in the orchard

FAQs

On average, it takes three to five years for a chestnut tree to produce its first nuts. Full maturity and production is reached at about 10 years.

We currently have approximately 300 trees on our 10 acre property. We plan to plant an additional 1,000+ at the site of our new orchard.

In addition to making a tasty snack (for humans and wildlife), chestnuts are often used in food production and is popular in many Asian dishes.