GATHER-YOUR-OWN-CHESTNUTS INFORMATION

We are open Wednesday through Sunday during the harvest. We are CLOSED MONDAY and TUESDAY to give the orchard time to catch up. After a busy weekend, there aren't many (any?) ripe chestnuts left. It takes a couple days for the trees to drop enough nuts to be worth the trip.

Our chestnuts are 100% as nature intended; no pesticides or fertilizers are used on the trees and only organic growing practices are employed.

Skyline Chestnuts is a pick-your-own type of orchard, which means you get to venture off the path and among the trees to gather the chestnuts you want. (It's like a nutty little Easter egg hunt!)

We recommend wearing sturdy, closed-toe shoes or hiking boots to protect your feet from the chestnut burrs. We have buckets and leather gloves for you to use while you are here. 

After you gather chestnuts, you have the opportunity to sort through them on our specially designed sorting tables. You pay for only the chestnuts you want to keep. 

We accept cash and credit. Chestnuts are $10.50/lb. We offer a 50 cent discount per pound for cash purchases to encourage the public to bring cash since we never know when the electricity and/or internet will be out.

A few picnic tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis for your enjoyment should you wish to bring a lunch and sit for a bit.

Due to high fire danger, no smoking, barbecues or fires are allowed at any time.

Leashed dogs are welcome in the parking area ONLY and are not allowed in the Orchard. Open Space trails that allow leashed dogs are available just to the south of the Orchard.

OUR HONEY

Skyline Chestnuts is proud to offer a rare honey: chestnut honey. It's produced by our own honeybees from our chestnut trees. This premium honey is sold exclusively at the orchard. It's our most requested item, and we do tend to run out before the season is over. 

All season long we also sell raw, ultra-local honey from hives in the surrounding hills. We offer honey made from the nectar of single varietals, like eucalyptus and sage (delicious!) and from mysterious blends of local wildflowers (exotic!). Taste the difference!

COOKBOOKS

How do you like your chestnuts? Most folks roast them and eat them straight out of the shell. Some cultures boil them and make chestnut stuffing or soup. Others eat them raw! You can find recipes and demonstrations online. Pro Tip: YouTube!. 

ROASTING PANS

Properly roasted chestnuts taste great and are easier to peel. Chestnut pans produce a more even roast when cooking over an open flame. They work well for BBQs, in the fireplace, or over a gas burner. The long-handled model is perfect for roasting chestnuts over a firepit or a campfire. S'more chestnuts, please!

CHESTNUT KNIVES

The short hooked blade on chestnut knives make scoring and peeling chestnuts much easier and safer. Most years you can get them at up at the orchard, where we also offer tips and demonstrations to speed up your chestnut prep. Amazon.com is another source.