Black Walnut Tree Farming

Native American hardwoods have been slowly disappearing from our forests. The effect of reverse evolution. But many are planting Black Walnut trees as a long-term investment. One acre could yield one-million dollars after 25 years of growth.
WLJT-TV

[@arturaugustynek670]

33 yr old here. Bought some land and planted 220 black walnut trees, added drip line irrigation to each tree + installed a solar powered well pump. Took about a week. Now I sit and wait

[@robertmullen7586]

Since we don't have a crystal ball, it may be advisable to plant another 220 just in case.

[@superjeffstanton]

Next Copy paste. Btw well done man.

[@aaronlohr8477]

Atta boy.

[@TOPMOSTPOP]

Sir our company sells chairs designed exactly 4your needs. U can sit for upwards of 60 years at a time. & we have only experienced 2 failures in our quality chairs of 100 units. .

[@aaronlohr8477]

@@TOPMOSTPOP on a scale of 1-10 how lethal were the chair failures?

[@carljohnson6264]

This guy says they aren’t pretty trees… Man , black walnut is one of the prettiest tree there is. Beautiful in the fall and summer.

[@twbishop]

@4:27 swales (dug along the contour between rows) are a cheap and effective way to capture rainfall/to replace irrigation, to stop runoff erosion, and to add fertility to the soil.

[@adiposerex5150]

A squirrel planted my black walnut. I hope to watch that tree grow.

[@blakespower]

yeah if I had the land I would plant them Black Walnut lumber is very valuable

[@joannejobeck4090]

Very very practical and accurate

[@blakespower]

I would like to grow Black Cherry and Black walnut both very valuable for lumber but black cherry is harder because of that fungal parasite deforms its wood

[@wildzimbaby]

So I have a walnut farmer friend who has 11 acres of English walnuts. The electricity to power the well water to water the trees, paying the pickers, paying for the equipment and paying for everything else to get the walnuts to the wholesaler now costs more than you make. The wholesaler only wants to pay $0.11 per lb now. What can someone do to stay in business to sell their walnuts?

[@DavidSmith-fr1uz]

I was trying to find information about buying some trees. Unfortunately, I think Mr. Mills died in March of last year. If anyone knows any different or knows where I can buy his trees, please let me know.

[@thomasfarmer8299]

I have some and they are beautiful.

[@johnrfranklin9072]

@David Smith plant them from seed it is not difficult and cost effective..

[@Ransom-Ark]

Purdue #1 is the tree Mr. Mills is referring to. I am currently planting 14 acres and have looked into Genetically superior trees and grafted trees. I have had better results from digging up local trees and growing my own trees from local nuts I have gathered. You can buy scion wood from various sites Burnt Ridge nursery has a few good cultivars of Black walnut and I have purchased some "timber black walnuts" from them, they also sell scion wood. Purdue lost the patent on the Purdue #1 and there are a few nurseries selling seedlings from Purdue #1. Being a seedling these trees are not guaranteed to show the same characteristics as the superior parents. Greenwood nursery is one that I bought a few of these GSP seedlings from. No tree that I have bought has shown better growth than the trees I have dug up from my property, the side of the road or abandoned houses or lots. My advice is just to get local trees, they are more adapted to your climate and will be much better for you in the long run. You can spend lots of money on a grafted superior tree, but if it is on an inferior root stock the tree will not get the nutrients to grow to its full potential TLDR: Get local trees.

[@DavidSmith-fr1uz]

@@thomasfarmer8299 Thanks Thomas

[@DavidSmith-fr1uz]

@@johnrfranklin9072 Thanks John. They are easy to grow especially if you begin them in old mulch. I just thought the trees spoken of here were of superior quality for furniture and thus would be more valuable. Thanks again.

[@redclayfarm6490]

The idea that you can farm 100+ $10k/acre in 30 years is insane. In 30 years you will have sappy pulpwood. I'm not sure if they are drinking too much of their own cool aid or just trying to sell trees.

[@DavidSmith-fr1uz]

I was thinking the same thing. Rushing the growth by fertilizer and regular irrigation is not going to produce the best wood for veneer or furniture production in my opinion.

[@amazingrazin]

A 20 inch tree is really not that big. It's not small, but it's not large either.

[@w8stral]

Yes. Mitch, guy in video, has his own channel and his 30+ year old trees are now ~10 inches in diameter. A LONG way to go to "veneer" wood.

[@Run4Ever77]

​@@w8stral What is his channel? Thanks!

[@WideCutSawmill]

20 inch diameter in 30 years seems very optimistic. This sounds like something you would do for your kids to retire. If you did it in your 20s and waited 40-50 years and used it for a extra boost in retirement it might work. But it’s mostly for the next generation. Not yourself I don’t think. AND 10k per tree? Not a chance for a tree that small. Couple hundred maybe.

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

I agree I know of a man that planted a little over an acre of black walnut trees. I’ve been watching them grow for about 12 years now. They have been pruned just like the video saying but I would guess it’s going to take another 30 years at least for them to be chest size. But if I had more land I would do it for my sons or grandchildren and for fun watching them grow.

[@randyroberg5926]

I have 150 there all over 30 years old huge 😊 what do I do Next

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

Call a sawmill near you. If there is more then one even better call them all.

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

Hopefully you replant after they are harvested.

[@danherrmann8755]

Farmers cut down every tree in southern Indiana. No walnuts trees to be found. I have one tree I found. 90 years old. Later.

[@Jackyboi887]

You may be able to eliminate or at least reduce the need for fertilizer with proper companion planting, such as black locusts, other nitrogen fixers, etc.

[@amazingrazin]

I am going to clear a couple acres and plant black walnuts with my son and nephew for their early retirement :) I am 49, so probably too late for me, haha

[@barefootgardens22]

I'm in north Indiana. I have some very large trees I want gone in my back yard. Who would buy them?

[@w8stral]

No one. You will pay $$$ to get rid of them. Lots of $$$

[@TOPMOSTPOP]

Had u mulched those trees 5:00, your problems would had all been solved. And thtrees would have exploded. Do NOT mulch your trees. Any trees. Ever. Mulch them THICK. And wide. Mulch untill u smother.

[@sayilu]

Folks, fundamentally the flaw in this video is the assumption of 20inches diameter in 20years... that's not gonna happen. If you plan the tree today, your grand son will appreciate that

[@ericwanderweg8525]

I can appreciate what the video is trying to convey, but it’s misleading. You know how many times a homeowner will advertise on Craigslist or FB Marketplace for removal of their Black Walnut tree? These people think an arborist is actually going to pay THEM several THOUSAND dollars for the “privilege” of taking these “highly valuable” trees down. 🤦‍♂️ It’s videos like this that perpetuate the falsehoods about growing black walnuts. Yes it’s a desirable wood. Yes in the right place they’re great trees. But the landowners aren’t going to become rich over them. The owners can make a few bucks, but so does the guy who cuts it down, then the guy running the sawmill, plus the retailer selling the finished lumber. Everyone gets a small cut, and unfortunately the landowner gets the smallest piece of the pie.

[@triple6758]

Negative genetic selection you say? 🤔

[@stevefulscher8531]

few, if any walnut trees will get to 20" in 30 years. a 20-inch tree would never have enough board feet in it to be worth $10,000, even if it was 4 sides clear veneer. this video is total BS.