Minutes  of the TN-TACF meeting at Greenback, TN, Aug. 11, 2007
(recorded by Sean fisher)

Saturday 8/11/07:

TACF Summer Meeting at the Greenback Community Center
Sam McInturff – Host
Paul Sisco – brought American chestnut literature
Clint Neel – Welcome and introduction at 9:50 am

Clint reviewed the many accomplishments by the Tennessee chapter in the past year. He presented these accomplishments in a well made and humorous presentation later in the day. Clint's Slide Show

We then went out to Sam McInturff’s orchards before it became too hot. The orchard tour was educational with “hands-on” American chestnut, chinkapin, Chinese chestnut and F1 to BC3 backcross identification demonstrations. We also noted the frost damage with the hard freezes in April after a warmer than usual March this year. Still, with Sam’s care and a good location for growing chestnuts, the damage to established American and backcross trees was minimized. The very cold April followed by this year’s drought conditions made success with direct seed sporadic. Truly, only the strongest seed survived.

Hill Craddock discussed and presented on the phenomenon of chinkapins that look just like American chestnuts. These “Ozark” chinkapins look just like American chestnuts, but DNA analysis shows them to be the chinkapins they are. Unless you have a DNA sequencer in your back pocket, waiting to see if the seed cluster has 1 nut (chinkapin) or 3 nuts (American chestnut) is the only way to determine the species.

The TTU BC3 orchard update was presented with 400+ chestnuts planted on April 17th, and good news on little damage to established BC3 planting from the April 7th frost. TNTECH Orchard Presentation.htm

Joe Schbig presented on American chestnut pollinations throughout middle and east Tennessee with some excursions into Kentucky. Joe noted Jack Torkelson’s success with nut grafts.  Pollination 2007.htm

Clark Cropper received a good rain right after planting his 77 chestnuts and is enjoying an 87% success rate. He is not enjoying visits by the local deer population and is individually fencing around each of the growing chestnuts.  Clark's new chestnut orchard

Then officers were elected

Clint Neel – Secretary
Paul Sisco – Treasurer
Greg Weaver – President
Sean Fisher – Vice President

Greg Weaver spoke about the 1st TN chapter meeting in March 2002 and with enthusiastic members, we have come a long ways! Greg's Power Point slide show

Photos taken at the meeting:

Group shot by Paul Sisco at Sam McInturff's Chestnut Orchard # 1
 

Sam describes the characteriestics of an Allegheny chinquapin (photo from
Paul Sisco).
 

Scott Halstead and his family in front of a bagged (pollinated) chestnut.
Scott has found a new flowering American chestnut close to Knoxville, TN
(Photo from Paul Sisco).
 

TN-TACF members inspect a precocious
chestnut bearing nuts when only a few years old.
(Photo from Clint Neel)
 

Photo by Joe Schibig

Dr. Hill Craddock (botanist at U. T./Chattanooga) discusses
chestnut/chinquapin hybridization. (Photo from Clint Neel)

Group picture with Sam McInturff in the foreground (Photo by Tim Phelps)

Sam shows the group his new orchard (Photo by Joe Schibig)

Dr. Paul Sisco (TACF Science Coordinator for the Southeastern U. S.) examines
a Chinese chestnut showing dieback from the cold weather in mid April, 2007.
(Photo by Joe Schibig)

The new TN Chapter officers:  Sean Fisher (left) becomes the new vice president
and Greg Weaver (right) becomes the new TN Chapter president. (Photo by
Clint Neel)

The newly elected president of TN-TACF, Greg Weaver, addresses the group.
(Photo by Joe Schibig)

Another group shot (photo by Clint Neel)

Pleas Visit these chestnut sites:

TN-TACF website  

Hill Craddock's Chestnut Links

Joe Schibig's Resurrecting the American chestnut

The Invitation and Map:

TN-TACF's Aug. 11, 2007 Meeting in Greenback, TN 

Members and nonmembers are invited to attend the annual meeting of the Tennessee Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation on Saturday, August 11th, at the Greenback Community Club near Maryville, TN. Enjoy a brunch starting at 9:30 Eastern time followed by presentations on growing, pollinating, and grafting American chestnut trees. Lunch will include BBQ chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, salad, dessert, and drink catered at $13.50/head. Then we will head to Sam’s farm where he will give us a hayride to each of his two chestnut orchards, so don’t forget to bring your hat and sunscreen. We will also be electing new chapter officers so this is a meeting you don’t want to miss. Lunch reservations via email or phone are encouraged but not required.

Directions:
From Nashville (3 hours) take I-40 E to I-75 S via exit 368 toward Chattanooga. Go 3 miles and take the US-321/TN-95 exit 81 left (southeast) toward Lenoir City. Go 8 miles thru Lenoir City and over Tellico Lake and turn right (south) on TN-95/Lenoir City Road. Go 7.7 miles on TN-95/Lenoir City
Road until it tees into Morganton Road at the stop sign.
Turn right and the Greenback Community Club is less than
a 1/4 mile on the left at one of the entrances to the
school.

From Chattanooga (2 hours) take I-75 N to exit 81
(US-321/TN-95) and turn right toward Lenoir City and continue as above.

From Bristol (2.5 hours) take I-81 S to I-40 W toward Knoxville. Go 35 miles to Knoxville and merge onto
US-129/TN-115 south via exit 386B toward the airport and the Smoky Mountains. Go 21 miles to Maryville and stay straight to go onto US-411/TN-33 (south). Go another 7 miles and turn right onto TN-95. Go 2 miles and turn left onto TN-95/
Morganton Road/Alleghany Avenue. Go 1/2 mile staying straight at the intersection and the Greenback Community Club will be on the left at one of the entrances to the
school.

There are several hotel choices in Lenoir City including in order of rank from tripadvisor.com: Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Days Inn, Ramada Inn, Econo Lodge, and Comfort Inn (not ranked).

Best,

Clint Neel, President of the Tennessee Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation
 

Map: