Description

12/2/25 update: Due to temperatures in the Midwest, we will not ship seed nuts until March 2026. Small amounts of Szego and Scott may be available then.

Because of the overwhelming demand for our excellent genetics, we offer our seed nuts by this website and by you-pick, You-Pick information

We allow people interested in harvesting for seed to come to our farm to harvest in the morning. Maps of where the seed nut trees are located will be provided. You are allowed to gather from any tree.  All nuts harvested before noon each day are considered seed nuts and are charged at the rate of $10/pound. There is no limit. After 1:00 PM we allow our culinary customers in to harvest. They pay $3.50 to $4.25/pound but have designated areas where they harvest. Call 319-729-5905 or email kathy@r

edfernfarm.com to schedule a harvest date. We do allow primitive camping in our groves to facilitate multiple mornings of harvest. You must be completed harvesting seed nuts by Noon each day.

These seed chestnuts have the named tree below as their mother tree. The pollen came from another high quality chestnut tree on our farm. Each of these seeds are genetically unique and will have some of the qualities of the mother and father tree. Prices are $25/pound or $20/pound for 5 pounds or more of the same variety. Prices include shipping. We will ship starting in November.

Available for shipping (March 2026):

Amy—(Sold Out as of 11/11/25) Chinese selection made by Greg Miller in Ohio. Produces heavy crops of medium to large nuts.
Arbor Laedi— (Sold Out as of 11/16/25)Reliable, very heavy bearer of large/extra-large nuts, unique to Red Fern Farm.
Auburn Super—(Sold Out as of 11/11/25) Extremely large nuts, heavy bearing, sometimes overbears, excellent flavor.
Cold Hardy Collection – (sold out as of 10/13) This includes our AB+, Giant Badger I and II, and BadgerQing III.  We only have a few of these seeds available. All are hardy to Zone 4B. Your bag of seed will be labeled as to which of the above varieties you received.
Giant Badger I— Extra cold-hardy Chinese X American hybrid from Minnesota that produces extra-large nuts, up to 24 grams. Pollen fertile. (part of Cold Hardy Collection)
Giant Badger II— Extra cold-hardy Chinese X American hybrid from Minnesota that produces extra-large nuts, up to 24 grams. Pollen sterile. (part of Cold Hardy Collection)
Gideon—(Sold Out as of 11/11/25) Large nuts, heavy bearing, excellent flavor.
Peach—(Sold Out as of 11/11/25) One of Greg Millers’ (founder of Empire Chestnuts) very best selections. It is a reliable bearer of extra-large nuts. This is one of the few varieties that never over-bears. The nuts are fuzzy like a peach, thus the name.
Qing—(Sold Out as of 11/11/25)  Is currently the standard for comparison among Chinese chestnuts. It produces an extra-large nut with a dark mahogany color, an unusually glossy luster, and exceptional flavor and keeping qualities. Cold hardy to at least -30°F, zone 5a.
Qingsu—(Sold Out) Seedling of Qing X Auburn Super, Extremely heavy bearing, large-extra-large nuts. Unique to Red Fern Farm.
Red Fern Super— (Not available) Large, blocky nuts, heavy bearing. Unique to Red Fern Farm.

Resilient—(Sold Out) A reliable heavy bearer of large nuts, this really stood out in 2019 as the only tree out of about 1200, to bear a full, normal crop.  Only 2% of the other trees had any nuts at all, and then only handful per tree.
Scott is pure Chinese, and is a reliable heavy bearer of extra-large, exceptionally dark, mahogany-colored nuts.
Sleeping Giant— (Sold Out as of 11/30/25) An older cultivar selected by Dick Jaynes in Connecticut. Although it is a complex hybrid, its characteristics are very Chinese-like, and its offspring are consistently Chinese-like and of reliable quality. It is early ripening, excellent quality, and unusually consistent bearing from year-to-year, although yields are not especially high. (description from Route 9 Cooperative)
Szego— Is a complex hybrid that produces extra-large, attractive nuts, heavy bearing, burs don’t always open, some susceptibility to blight.

Very American – (Sold Out) A Chinese American cross from Badgersett research farm.  It is barely distinguishable from pure American chestnut in leaf, bud, bark, and growth form. The nuts are about the size or slightly larger than pure American chestnut.  Highly blight resistant. Hardy to 4b.

Chestnut Seed: handling and planting