Episode Details

While much of American agriculture is stuck in debt and overproduction, a quiet revolution is growing beneath the canopy of chestnut trees. In this episode, Roger Smith of Prairie Grove Chestnut Growers joins United Chestnuts to share how his network of seven-state growers has broken free from the commodity system — and built a model where farmers are price makers, not price takers.

From “street-corner retail” to standardized genetics and cold-chain precision, Smith’s story is proof that specialty crops can rewrite the rules of farm economics. Host Kim Douglass unpacks how Smith and other innovators like Greg Miller and Mike Nave are leading the shift from survival to legacy — and why the chestnut industry’s playbook may hold the blueprint for the future of regenerative specialty farming.

Tune in if you’re ready to:

• Understand how specialty crops are outpacing commodities
• Learn practical steps to reclaim pricing power
• Hear what modern cooperatives are doing to protect grower margins
• See how small farms can scale through innovation and collaboration

For more episodes, insights, and grower resources, visit www.unitedchestnuts.com or join the United Chestnuts Community on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Explore More from United Chestnuts

• Main Website: unitedchestnuts.com
• The Branching Out Podcast: Listen to More Episodes
• The United Chestnuts Blog: Industry Insights & Growth Strategies
• Shop Ebb Farms: Direct from Our Orchard to You