GREEN & SUSTAINABLE

Centered on the Blue Ridge Mountains, including the southern Appalachian plateau and the piedmont above the coastal plains of the Southeast, Chestnut Nation remains rich in small farmsteads and culinary celebrations. The American chestnut formerly domi­nated the wild food crops gleaned from the forests, but it was nearly driven into extinction by an introduced chestnut blight. Today, remnant and (perhaps) resistant chestnut trees are inspiring efforts at chestnut reintroduction and forest restoration.

This region is rich in heirloom fruit trees and vegetables, heritage livestock breeds, and small game. The tradi­tions of Cherokee wildcrafters and Scots-Irish woodspeople have shaped the subsistence traditions of this region. Its living heritage of fishing, farming, and foraging folklore is widely celebrated in story and song. However, the metro areas of Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, Georgia, at either end of this region have a ripple effect of second-home develop­ments that are now changing the predominantly rural character of Chestnut Nation. At least seventy-four of its traditional foods are now threatened or endangered.

– excerpted from Renewing America’s Food Traditions, edited by Gary Nabhan, with the permission of Chelsea Green Publishing (www.chelseagreen.com)

Disappearing Foods | Recipes | Tips | Related Links | Full List of Disappearing Foods | Back to Map

Disappearing Foods

• Goliath Grouper
• Honey Cider Apples
• Jack's Copperclad Jerusalem Artichoke
• Eclipse Blackberry
• Mary Moore Greasy Bean
• Nansemond Sweet Potato
• Orange Oxheart Tomato
• Tennessee Beauty Strawberry
• See Full List

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Find EatingWell recipes for:

• Apples
• Berries
• Beans
• Seafood
• Strawberries
• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomatoes

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Tips to preserve heritage and heirloom foods:

• Become a seed saver through the Seed Saver Exchange (seedsavers.org).
• Purchase heirloom produce and heritage livestock breeds (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, albc.usa.org).
• If you think a food is endangered, nominate it to the Slow Ark of Taste, slowfoodusa.org.
• Support community agriculture, farmers' markets and local food groups.
• Attend events that celebrate local foods.

Read more about Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT).

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Related Links

Our Favorite Chestnut Grower
America’s Best Farmers’ Markets
Native Nutrition: A movement to preserve heritage foods

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Disappearing Foods (Full List)

American Chestnut

Barnes Mountain Cornfield Bean

Bell Grape

Bertie Best Greasy Bean

Big John Bean

Black Pindor Peanut

Brushy Mountain Limbertwig Apples

Buckinham Buff/Cherokee Buff Apples

Bull Nose Bell Pepper

Burford Pear

Carolina Collards

Carolina Gourdseed Dent Corn

Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel

Cherokee Blue And White Dent Corn

Cherokee Cornfield Bean

Cherokee Greasy Bean

Cherokee White Eagle Dent Corn

Cherokee White Flour Corn

Choppee Okra

Crow Egg Apples

Doyce Chambers Greasy Cutshort Bean

Eclipse Blackberry

Edhegard Jujube

Edwards Cornfield Bean

Gano Apples

Georgia Rattlesnake (Garrison) Watermelon

Gilpin Apples

Goliath Grouper

Grady Bailly Greasy Bean

Hammond's Apples

Henry Clay Apples

Hewes Virginia Crab Apples

Hickory King Yellow Corn

Honey Cider Apples

Horse Apples

Jack Kelly Butter Bean

Jack's Copperclad Jerusalem Artichoke

John Haulk Yellow Dent Corn

Johns (Original York) Apples

June Sugar Pear

Kinnard's Choice Apples

Kreutzer Pea

Limbertwig Apples

Lowry Apples

Luther Hill Sweet Corn

Magnum Bonum Apples

Mango Pawpaw

Margaret Best Greasy Bean

Margaret Best Yellow Tomato

Mary Moore Greasy Bean

Mattamuskeet Apples

McAffee Apples

Milam Apples

Mississippi Silver Hull Pea

Morgantown Blackberry

Mostellers Wild Goose Bean

Mrs. Bryan Apples

Nansemond Sweet Potato

Nickajack Apples

Nickell Half-runner Bean

North Carolina Seedling Pomegranate

North Georgia Candy Roaster Squash

Orange Oxheart Tomato

Ora's Speckled Pole Bean

Park's Pippin Apples

Pearmain, Cannon Apples

Persimmon Tomato

Pilot Apples

Pineland Dewberry

Pink Tip Greasy Bean

Plantation Sweet Pomegranate

Pocono Plateau Dewberry

Power's Heirloom Tomato

Rainbow Apples

Robe Mountain Cornfield Bean

Seay Cutshort Bean

Shockley Apples

Stayman Apples

Striped Hull Greasy Cutshort Bean

Summer Banana Apples

Tait's White Dent Corn

Tanyard Seedling Apples

Tennesee Cornfield Pole Bean

Tennessee Beauty Strawberry

Tennessee Red Cob Dent Corn

Terry Winter Apples

Tobacco Worm Bean

Turkey Craw Cvornfield Bean

Vine Apples

Virginia Crab Apples

Virginia Gourdseed Dent Corn

Virginia Greening Apples

Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel

Virginia Winesap Apples

Walker's Pippin Apples

Wallace Sweet Apples

Washday Cowpeas/ Crowders/ Black-eyes

White Pumpkin Squash

Winter Sweet Paradise Apples

Winter Valencia & Maltz Melon

Yampa (Gairdner's Yampah) Potato

Zipper Cream Pea

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