It’s always a good day when I find an American chestnut tree.  It’s an even better day when I find an American chestnut tree of a decent size.

Admittedly, I mostly feel this way because American chestnut isn’t an incredibly common species where I live. 

A fungal disease known as chestnut blight kills most American chestnuts.  The fungus cuts off the flow of water and nutrients within trees.  Starved of nutrients, the trunks of American chestnuts die.

But the roots remain alive.  They give rise to sprouts which eventually become new trunks.  Sometimes these trunks live for many years, and sometimes I find them in the woods.

Such was the case a few days ago when I encountered a living American chestnut by chance.  More than just a stump sprout, this particular American chestnut was a decent-sized tree.

Needless to say, I was excited.  I promptly decided to capture the experience on film to show you what an American chestnut looks like in the autumn season. 

You can watch the very short video here.

Speaking of decent-sized organisms, I recently found a large enoki mushroom.  In fact, it was the largest enoki mushroom I’ve ever seen.  To view a short video on that experience, check out the Learn Your Land Instagram and Facebook pages.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Conventional ways of doing things aren’t always the most effective ways of doing things.

Take tree identification, for instance.

We might think that we have to strain our necks in order to identify trees.  If we don’t look up into the canopy, how else are we supposed to learn?

We can look down instead.

When we look down at the forest floor, we discover clues.  After analyzing these clues, we can easily determine which trees are growing nearby — without even looking up.

During a recent walk, I attempted to identify trees based on what I observed beneath my feet.  I brought my camera along to show you just how effective (and fun!) such an exercise can be.

If you want to learn how to identify trees without looking up, check out the new video!

I also recently posted a new video in which I discuss an edible mushroom known as hen-of-the-woods.  To view that video, check out the Learn Your Land Instagram and Facebook pages.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan