Among our thousands of trees are some which show valuable characteristics: precocity, high tolerance or resistance to leaf-spotting diseases, and high kernel yield. While black walnut is open-pollinated, and there is no complete guarantee that natural offspring will be as disease resistant or productive as the tree from which the seed is harvested, there is a greater probability that these traits will be evident in such trees than those established from non-select trees of unknown origin (e.g. common black walnut purchased from forest nurseries, or grown from seed collected).
We believe that the establishment of semi-improved biomass stands, from seed from trees screened in the way we are screening ours, is less expensive and reasonably predictable compared to other options. It allows you to test many genotypes to find those best suited to your site. Our confidence in this approach can be seen in our own development strategy: expanding our own plantations in exactly this way – select and plant. We offer you the opportunity to do exactly the same. It goes almost without saying that you must have a long-term vision of nutculture on your property to make this worthwhile, as you may have to wait for your first nutcrop for up to 7-10 years from planting. In the meantime you can compare your tree growth with sister trees grown here at Lostwithiel Farm and on other collaborators’ sites.
I will start to post individual tree data soon. You will be able to see the trees we have selected and are on-planting (i.e. the trees the nuts are coming from).
If you are interested in seed this year, I suggest you send me an email. Firm commitments with payment should be made by Oct 15th.
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