Author Topic: Ivan Bo and the American Chestnut (Read 2247 times)

Jeff · « **on:** December 07, 2007, 09:15:01 am »

Ivan Bo is one of our most senior, if not thee most senior of our Forestry Forum members and the father of member Nancbee.

I'm very proud to be able to share this clip and note sent to me by Nancy. If you have dial up, take the time to download the video clip. You will be glad you did.

Nancy, thank you for the clip and the opportunity for us to see it, and many many thanks to Ivan for his work and dream towards once again seeing the proud American Chestnut growing all over this land.

That's my Dad, Ivan Bo, (Ivan Booker) 97 years old on his quest for the revitilization of the American Chestnut. This was shot by my cousin who happens to have his own video business here in Maine.

ronwood · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2007, 09:32:30 am »

Jeff,

Neat clip Hope some day Ivan dream will be realized.

Ron

Dangerous_Dan · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2007, 09:45:03 am »

Where can I get some so I can plant them at my place?
DD

Jeff · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2007, 09:53:58 am »

I have the same question, and whether they would grow on my property and soil type.

Roxie · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2007, 09:57:08 am »

My brother has been trying to find American Chestnut for years. He converted a one room school house into a home, and the schools name was Chestnut Grove. He would go just about anywhere to get a real American Chestnut.

pappy · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:00:23 am »

Maybe Nancbee could hook ya up ??

Jeff · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:01:35 am »

I believe that by joining The American Chestnut Foundation, its members are presented with the opportunity to purchase seeds and seedlings as a benefit of membership.
http://www.acf.org

Nancbee · « **Reply #7 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:54:56 am »

There are state chapters of the American Chestnut Foundation all over the country. Check out the website from Jeff's link.

As my Dad said, when he was 7 or 8 years old he would fill his pockets with nuts on his way to school in Fairfield, Maine and munch all day. It is possible to bring them back. Now I call him Johnny Chestnut seed! He's pretty amazing even if he is my Dad.

Nancbee

scgargoyle · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2007, 03:32:14 pm »

Ummm- It says the video is no longer available??

Nancbee · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2007, 03:49:23 pm »

OH, NO! IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON YOUTUBE? I'll talk to my cousin, the filmmaker and see what I can do!

Nancy

(It's displayed again, Nancy)
admin

farmerdoug · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2007, 04:49:18 pm »

Nancbee,

You should get your father in touch with Professor Dennis Fulbright at Michigan State University Forestry department.

He has some good news on the chestnuts. He has managed to inoculate a grove of chestnuts on the west coast of Michigan and they are doing good now.

Farmerdoug

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2007, 07:09:19 pm »

I hope Nancbee gets the video back up. I never had a chance to see it. I have always heard on radio talk shows and forestry gatherings about the American chestnut. Some of them talk as if it grew up here. I don't believe it ever grew in New Brunswick, but it may have been in the Lake Michigan-Lake Ontario area of Ontario. I'm surprised it wasn't in southern Quebec, if it grew in southern Maine. But, so much of that region has been cleared to farmland, that remnants may have been deforested years ago. I'd like to try a Maine cultivar if I could get some improved seed.

Dale Hatfield · « **Reply #12 on:** December 07, 2007, 09:50:33 pm »

I have the pleasure of looking after # 1 and 2 of the Ohios largest Chestnut trees. Growing of all places in an alley in the power lines. Have the world again them as well as a homeowner that hates them for the mess they make. The odd thing about them is that the 2 trees next to them are a pair of Butternuts. They are getting almost as rare in these parts. Getting nuts is no problem. Beating the bugs and critter to em is.
Dale

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2007, 07:47:32 am »

Yeah I guess one has to be careful with the butternut canker spores being on the nuts. I have thought about it recently, and I don't want any gift of nuts from anywhere near butternut trees. It's a wonder that canker hasn't gone to walnut. That'll be next.

Nancbee · « **Reply #14 on:** December 08, 2007, 09:48:09 am »

There is a new link to youtube that my cousin sent to me in an email. I'm not sure how to get it posted here. Anyone want to help me, send me a message.

Jeff · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2007, 11:31:11 am »

Nancy, simply copy and paste the linkhere in your post. the forum will ormat the link. Im on my phone so cant really do it for you but any of the admins can help.

Nancbee · « **Reply #16 on:** December 08, 2007, 01:15:18 pm »

Okay, here goes!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OjlUQqGQ3PU

scgargoyle · « **Reply #17 on:** December 09, 2007, 02:50:29 pm »

Great video! Makes me want to devote some of my SC land to American Chestnut, if they'll grow there.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #18 on:** December 09, 2007, 03:43:33 pm »

Glad you got the video restored Nancbee. Looks like your dad is doing what he loves and takes a real interest in how his chestnuts are doing on other people's property. He'll probably be known as Chestnut Man by all those Mainers.

cheers

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2008, 06:32:15 pm »

I ran into someone at the market today who is trying to save an old timber frame barn. In the course of conversation, he mentions he is working with the American Chestnut Foundation to develop a disease resistant variety of castanea dentata. He has a small nursery with about 150 seedlings that will be crossed with other hybrids. I believe he said that they are crossing it with chinese chestnut. He said there are three other nurseries in MA that he is working with on this project. He is only about 15 minutes away, so I may get a chance to help out with the project. 8)j

Dave

WDH · « **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2008, 07:16:27 pm »

We were cleaning up some old sheds this weekend. There was an old veneer table in bad repair in one of the the open sheds. The veneer was peeling off, and the table was broken and done for. I peeled the old veneer off in preparation for burning the parts, and much to my surprise, the substrate of the top was american chestnut

. What a diamond in the rough!

There were about four 6" boards that made up the table top. I need to make a large frame for my youngest daughter's senior picture....Now, I have found the perfect wood for it

.

I am excited! I love chestnut.

This one is for you, Mr. Ivan.

Don K · « **Reply #21 on:** January 28, 2008, 08:44:05 pm »

Good find Danny. I've seen Norm use some reclaimed old Chestnut. It is a beautiful rare wood. If you have any scraps left send a little on the Penwood Express and I'll make you a pen.

Don

WDH · « **Reply #22 on:** January 29, 2008, 07:09:11 am »

The Penwood express will run again!

Ron Wenrich · « **Reply #23 on:** January 29, 2008, 05:12:16 pm »

The basics behind the cross breeding is that they have several designated American chestnut trees. These are used mainly for their pollen. Each year, volunteers will go out and put plastic bags around the chestnut flowers and collect pollen. It usually involves the use of a crane, and really good access. Here's my understanding of the process.

Orchards are started out with the Chinese variety. When they get to nut bearing size, they are crossed with the American chestnut. That give the offspring a 50/50 American to Chinese.

These nuts are then put in another orchard. When they get to nut bearing size, the blight is introduced. Those that survive have blight resistance. They are then cross pollinated with the American chestnut. The next generation is 75/50 with blight resistance.

Again, they are put in another orchard. The blight is introduced and the survivors get cross bred with the American to give a 83/17 mix.

One final orchard, using the same process and you come up with a 90/10 mix. It should have high blight resistance and predominately America characteristics.

I've been a member of the Chestnut Foundation for a number of years. I have yet to be contacted about any trees. I'm thinking the state is going to get first crack, along with some really old members.

nsmike · « **Reply #24 on:** January 29, 2008, 05:41:30 pm »

I believe that 2010 is the magic date for availability. I read a news release that the first of the seed prodction for realease groves was being planted. I think it was in the Chestnut Foundation's new release archive. Initial releases were to be to members.
Mike

OneWithWood · « **Reply #25 on:** January 31, 2008, 11:28:07 am »

At the last Indiana Forest and Woodland Owners Association meeting one of the presenters talked about the American Chestnut program. If I recall he said they are very close but not quite there. He handed out samples of chestnuts for us to munch on while he spoke. That was some good eating

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #26 on:** January 31, 2008, 02:53:32 pm »

I've ate chestnuts before to. They may have been Chinese. I wouldn't know. Beech nuts taste good to ya know. Just ask the black bears.

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #27 on:** January 31, 2008, 06:09:48 pm »

Craig, the ACF member I was talking to, said they are at 15/16ths and are one more cross away from their target. I am going to stop by the nursery this weekend, if I get a chance, and check it out. I will try to get some pics, if it's ok with him. It would be great to someday be able to build a timber frame from chestnut again.

Dave

letemgrow · « **Reply #28 on:** February 08, 2010, 02:55:25 pm »

Quote from: Roxie on December 07, 2007, 09:57:08 am

My brother has been trying to find American Chestnut for years. He converted a one room school house into a home, and the schools name was Chestnut Grove. He would go just about anywhere to get a real American Chestnut.

The American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation will send ya 10, 100% American seednuts from trees with blight resistance in October with a 20 dollar yearly donation. They also like to get the reports back yearly on how they are progressing.

Here is their website:

http://www.accf-online.org/index.html

letemgrow · « **Reply #29 on:** February 08, 2010, 03:05:34 pm »

Here are some pics of my young 100% American Chestnut trees from The American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation:

These next pics are of a blighted seedling I planted and it is going on year 4 now and the tree looks like it will beat the blight.

News:

Author Topic: Ivan Bo and the American Chestnut (Read 2247 times)