We ship chestnuts all across the U.S.; however, California, Washington, & Oregon state laws prohibit us from shipping to their states. ​

All of our chestnuts are mechanically sized, undergo quality control inspections, and are fresh when they leave our farm. We're unable to accept returns on perishable chestnuts, but we’re committed to your satisfaction. Upon delivery of your order, please inspect your chestnuts carefully. If they have been properly handled since arrival and you are not satisfied with your order, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery so we can address your concerns.* We’ll work hard to ensure your satisfaction! *If your package has been damaged during shipping, please take photos that will assist in the claim-filing process.

Any quantity of chestnuts can be ordered; however, 6 bags (45 pounds) is the most we can ship in a single box. Orders of 7 or more bags will be received in multiple packages.

It's helpful to note that there are four species of chestnuts that have commercial importance: American, European, Japanese, and Chinese chestnuts. ​ The American chestnut tree produces a nut that is high-quality and very sweet; however, because the nuts are small and the trees are highly susceptible to disease, commercial growth is unfeasible. ​ The nut of European and Japanese species (and their hybrids, including "Colossal") is very large, but flavor and quality are the poorest of all chestnut species. Japanese chestnuts have some degree of blight resistance, but European chestnuts typically possess little to none. ​ The Chinese chestnut provides the resistance needed for commercial viability in our growing region. When compared to European and Japanese species (and their hybrids), Chinese chestnuts are almost always superior in terms of flavor, ease of peeling, storage quality, kernel texture, and appearance. ​

Yes! Our chestnuts are the starchy seeds, or nuts, of the chestnut tree (Castanea). Because of their appearance, they're often confused with horse chestnuts and their cousin, the buckeye. Horse chestnuts, however, are very bitter and are considered toxic. Water chestnuts — used in many oriental dishes — are actually a type of aquatic vegetable commercially grown in warm Asian climates and are not to be confused with true chestnuts either.

In contrast to other nuts, the chestnut's meat is soft and starchy and more grain-like than traditional nuts that contain higher fat and oil contents. Other nuts have their own sets of nutrients and health benefits, but none are as nutrient-dense as the chestnut.

High concentrations of tannic acid in chestnuts can cause stomach irritation and even liver or kidney damage. To avoid digestive problems, chestnuts should typically be roasted or boiled before eating.

Our chestnuts are mechanically sized in an effort to maintain consistency. Please keep in mind that there is no industry-wide standard for chestnut sizing. Our sizes are based on standards used by other growers in our region and reflect the typical size range of Chinese chestnuts — not to be confused with or compared to Colossal chestnuts (a European/Japanese hybrid). Sometimes customers who've encountered Colossal chestnuts in the past have expectations that we simply cannot meet. We want you to be satisfied with your purchase, so please review the stated nut sizes carefully before ordering, rather than relying on your past personal experience.

Verify that you received the correct bag size by looking for a small, colored zip tie near the bag opening. Sizes/colors are as follows: SMALL: Orange MEDIUM: Brown LARGE: Yellow X-LARGE: White If you received the wrong bag size in error, please contact us and provide a photo of the bag with its colored zip tie so we can make it right!

Different people have different ideas about what a small, medium, or large chestnut should look like (especially if they've purchased "Colossal" chestnuts from other growers in the past). Because of this, we try to be very clear about the nut sizes we offer and we encourage customers to review dimensions carefully before ordering. If you don't believe your chestnuts to be the right size, please review the sizes stated on our website: SMALL: up to 7/8" MEDIUM: 7/8" to 1" LARGE: 1" to 1-1/8" X-LARGE: 1-1/8" and larger Measure some of the chestnuts that seem wrong to you. If you believe they are not the advertised size, please email us at valleychestnuts@gmail.com and describe the problem; we will work with you to resolve the issue!

Unlike other types of nuts, fresh chestnuts are highly perishable and require proper handling and storage methods to prevent spoilage. ​ Chestnuts should be refrigerated just as soon as they land on your doorstep. To help with this, we send tracking information for each order so customers know when their package will arrive and can make arrangements to unpack it quickly. ​ Once unpacked, we recommend placing the chestnuts in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Chestnuts keep best in very humid conditions (90% humidity is ideal) and at temperatures just a few degrees above freezing.

To develop their rich, sweet flavor, chestnuts must be cured. Remove them from the refrigerator a few days before use, spread them out, and allow them to dry slowly at room temperature. Be sure to avoid direct sunlight, heat, or forced air. ​ As chestnuts cure, starches covert to sugar and the kernels shrink away from the shells slightly. A chestnut is properly cured when a slight "give" is felt between the shell and the meat upon squeezing. More curing time is needed if chestnuts are still firm when squeezed. Once cured, chestnuts should be used in a short amount of time to avoid spoilage.

Chestnuts should be cooked and peeled before eating. Begin by rinsing chestnuts in cool, running water to clean them; then, choose a cooking method best suited to your needs and intended use. For detailed information on oven-roasting, fire-roasting, boiling, and microwaving chestnuts, click HERE.

Please let us know if you're ordering chestnuts, but would like to delay their arrival. We are happy to hold the chestnuts for a determined period of time and ship them out at a later date; simply add a note to your order to let us know.

Once harvested, chestnuts should be kept cool and moist to prevent spoilage, so we want them to reach you quickly! By shipping early in the week, we greatly decrease the odds of chestnuts being delayed in the mail system over the weekend.

Delivery time is 2 to 4 business days once shipped; however, your chestnuts may not ship immediately after your order is placed. We attempt to time shipments so that chestnuts aren't tied up in the postal system over the weekend.