2006.10.12: October 12, 2006: Headlines: COS - Micronesia: Agriculture: Farming: Chestnuts: The Topeka Capital-Journal: Micronesia RPCVs Charlie NovoGradac and Debbie Milks grow Chinese chestnuts in Kansas

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Micronesia: Peace Corps Micronesia : The Peace Corps in Micronesia: 2006.10.12: October 12, 2006: Headlines: COS - Micronesia: Agriculture: Farming: Chestnuts: The Topeka Capital-Journal: Micronesia RPCVs Charlie NovoGradac and Debbie Milks grow Chinese chestnuts in Kansas

By Admin1 (admin) (ppp-70-250-74-101.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 70.250.74.101) on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 9:24 pm: Edit Post

Micronesia RPCVs Charlie NovoGradac and Debbie Milks grow Chinese chestnuts in Kansas

Micronesia RPCVs Charlie NovoGradac and Debbie Milks grow Chinese chestnuts in Kansas

The couple returned to the United States in 1995 after living 17 years in Micronesia, where they worked for the Peace Corps on an island and then lived for several years in Saipan. They were called back to Kansas because NovoGradac's parents were ill, plus they already owned the 20-acre farm. "We wanted to do a sustainable agriculture project, particularly with trees that grow food," NovoGradac said. "And we wanted to do it organically." After considering pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts, the couple decided to focus on growing Chinese chestnuts in a field that once sprouted wheat.

Micronesia RPCVs Charlie NovoGradac and Debbie Milks grow Chinese chestnuts in Kansas

Couple returns to U.S., invests in Chinese chestnuts

JAN BILES
The Topeka Capital-Journal

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Most people think of chestnuts while they're decorating their Christmas trees and singing carols in mid-December.

But Charlie NovoGradac and Debbie Milks are bucket-deep in the nuts now as they continue harvesting their crop at Chestnut Charlie's, a nut tree farm about 1 1/2 miles north of Lawrence.

"It really should be a Halloween food," NovoGradac said.

The idea of establishing the nut tree farm was planted in the early 1990s when Milks and NovoGradac read articles about attempts to bring back the American chestnut, which had been decimated by a blight.

"It was a slow-growing interest," Milks said.

The couple returned to the United States in 1995 after living 17 years in Micronesia, where they worked for the Peace Corps on an island and then lived for several years in Saipan. They were called back to Kansas because NovoGradac's parents were ill, plus they already owned the 20-acre farm.

"We wanted to do a sustainable agriculture project, particularly with trees that grow food," NovoGradac said. "And we wanted to do it organically."

After considering pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts, the couple decided to focus on growing Chinese chestnuts in a field that once sprouted wheat.

"Chestnuts had a great demand in the United States and could be done organically," he said.

The farm has about 1,500 nut trees - 1,200 are chestnut; the rest, walnut and pecan - and from 500 to 600 Christmas trees the couple planted as a "short-term crop."

The chestnut harvest is in full swing at the farm.

"We have to harvest before the nuts get dry," NovoGradac said.

Chestnuts bear their fruit in bright-green burrs covered with sharp, inch-long stickers. Attached to the inside of the burr are three brown nuts. As the fruit ripens, each nut separates from the burr. The burr then splits open, allowing the nuts to fall to the ground.

NovoGradac, Milks and a few part-time workers hand-pick the fallen nuts from the ground and place them in buckets. The buckets are dumped into a homemade shaker that helps separate the nuts from their burrs or other debris.

The chestnuts then are washed, culled for quality, sorted by size, washed again with ozone to prevent mold growth, placed into mesh bags and refrigerated.

"I tell people I touch each nut about 10 times before the harvesting process is done," Milks said.

The weather in Kansas - with temperatures ranging from minus-10 to 110 - is no friend to the chestnut. NovoGradac said this year's harvest is "light" but better than last year's, which tanked because of a series of spring frosts that shocked the trees so badly they didn't flower.

"Two thousand pounds - we expect at least to harvest this amount this year," he said.

Because their operation is a certified organic farm, they can sell to organic wholesale outlets such as The Community Mercantile and Au Marche in Lawrence. In markets, chestnuts are sold by the pound and according to size.

Pruning and grafting, weed control, harvesting and marketing keep the couple busy for about 10 months. The Christmas trees provide added income during the off-season.

NovoGradac said he knows of only one other chestnut grower in Kansas, a 1-acre farm near Grantville.

"Other than that," he said, "I've only seen them as yard trees."




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: October, 2006; COS - Micronesia; Directory of Micronesia RPCVs; Agriculture; Farming; Kansas





When this story was posted in November 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Contact PCOLBulletin BoardRegisterSearch PCOLWhat's New?

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan Date: November 18 2006 No: 1038 Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan
On his first official trip since being confirmed as Peace Corps Director, Ron Tschetter (shown at left with PCV Tia Tucker) is on a ten day trip to Morocco and Jordan. Traveling with his wife (Both are RPCVs.), Tschetter met with volunteers in Morocco working in environment, youth development, health, and small business development. He began his trip to Jordan by meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and discussed expanding the program there in the near future.

Top Stories and Breaking News PCOL Magazine Peace Corps Library RPCV Directory Sign Up

November 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Date: November 12 2006 No: 1030 November 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories
Michael O'Hanlon writes: The New Congress and Iraq 9 Nov
Amanda Host named new PC Press Director 12 Nov
Shays will reach across the aisle for answers in Iraq 8 Nov
Petri loses chance to become committee chairman 8 Nov
Doyle gets a mandate to improve education 8 Nov
Eunice Shriver spends election night with Schwarzenegger 8 Nov
Donna Shalala writes: Eliminating gender bias in universities 7 Nov
Robert Paul upheld peace amid Afghan war 6 Nov
Carol Bellamy receives humanitarian award 6 Nov
Joseph Opala studies Black Seminoles 6 Nov
David C. Liner named PC Chief of Staff 3 Nov
PCV Matthew Costa remembered 2 Nov
Ethiopian-American community rallied for Garamendi 2 Nov
Christopher Poulos named Teacher of the Year 1 Nov
Peace Corps Writers and the Lost Generation 1 Nov
James Rupert writes: A deadly attack in Pakistan 31 Oct
Hill meets secretly with North Korea to restart talks 31 Oct
Jimmy Carter remembers mother in Peace Corps 30 Oct
Leigh Emery travels world for science 27 Oct
IFAW breaks ground for new headquarters 25 Oct
RPCVs Podcast Around the Globe 23 Oct

Election 2006: Results of RPCV Races Date: November 8 2006 No: 1024 Election 2006: Results of RPCV Races
Chris Shays claims victory in closely watched race
Jim Walsh wins re-election to Congress in close race
Tom Petri unopposed for re-election to Congress
Sam Farr wins re-election to Congress
Mike Honda wins re-election to Congress
Jim Doyle wins re-election to Wisconsin Governorship
Kinky Friedman loses in long shot bid for Texas Governor
John Garamendi elected Lt. Governor of California

October 22, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Date: October 22 2006 No: 1005 October 22, 2006: This Month's Top Stories
The crisis over North Korea's nuclear bomb test 14 Oct
Hill faced strong opposition for denuclearization agreement 8 Oct
John Coyne writes: The first Peace Corps book 20 Oct
Thomas Tighe moderates discussion with President Clinton 17 Oct
PC announces Community College degree program 18 Oct
Donna Shalala expresses dismay over football brawl 16 Oct
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley defends Lebanon policy 16 Oct
Jan Guifarro elected Chair of NPCA Board 15 Oct
Carl Pope writes: From the pump to the polls 13 Oct
Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez Says Africa a Priority 12 Oct
Chris Dodd opposes Bush terrorism bill 10 Oct
Isaac Edvalson is founder of Africa's Tomorrow 9 Oct
The Man who turned down Shriver 8 Oct
Mae Jemison tells girls to reach for the stars 6 Oct
Loren Finnell receives Shriver Award 4 Oct
Matt Sesow paints onstage during opera 2 Oct
Film examines anti-malaria drug lariam 29 Sep
Blackwill dismisses Musharraf's claims 27 Sep
Ron Tschetter sworn in as 17th Peace Corps Director 26 Sep
Rape Victim Student Gets $1 Million From City College 26 Sep
Ricardo Chavira narrates Public Service Announcements 25 Sep

The Peace Corps Library Date: July 11 2006 No: 923 The Peace Corps Library
The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Date: September 23 2006 No: 996 Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps
Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

He served with honor Date: September 12 2006 No: 983 He served with honor
One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director Date: September 6 2006 No: 978 Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director
Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.

Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance Date: August 19 2006 No: 964 Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance
The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again Date: July 31 2006 No: 947 The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again
The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.

PCOL readership increases 100% Date: April 3 2006 No: 853 PCOL readership increases 100%
Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

History of the Peace Corps Date: March 18 2006 No: 834 History of the Peace Corps
PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.


Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: The Topeka Capital-Journal

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Micronesia; Agriculture; Farming; Chestnuts

PCOL34749
43


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: