How to get started with agtech and farming investments?

I might be asking a bit of a silly question here, but I'm feeling a little lost regarding 😁

How much space should I actually leave between two walnut trees? 😁

Daniel Lopez said:I might be asking a bit of a silly question here, but I'm feeling a little lost regarding 😁

How much space should I actually leave between two walnut trees? 😁

It depends on the variety, but from what I’ve gathered, walnuts are "jealous" trees—they don't play well with others, even their own kind. You're looking at spacing something like 10x12 or 12x14 feet, roughly.

Yield:

Apparently, Kyrgyzstan has the highest concentration of walnut trees in the world.

The major producers of walnuts (for eating) are: the USA, the former USSR, China, Turkey, and Italy.

Back in 2005, global production hit about 1.5 million tons.

In the Western US, roughly 82,000 hectares are planted with walnuts, yielding about 295,000 tons from those 80,000 hectares.
So, you're looking at an average industrial yield of about 3.5 tons per hectare.

For comparison, you can pull up to 30 or 35 tons per hectare with apples—pears are similar.

That’s exactly why the market price for apples is significantly lower than for walnuts.🙂

gentlecanyon65 said:..... so I've been doing some deep thinking and scrolling through a ton of stuff lately ....

The price for farmland out here is actually pretty reasonable, so since I’ve got some decent cash sitting around and I’m definitely not the type to just sit on my ass all day, I started wondering why the hell I wouldn't just dive into agriculture
..... My big idea is to set up some permanent walnut orchards.... once they're established, they don't require an insane amount of daily grind, which means this doesn't even have to be my main hustle, yet it could still pull in some serious profit after a few years.... so my plan is to snag maybe 12 to 25 acres of land and plant a massive WALNUT grove ....

Now look .... I'm no professional farmer, but I know how to handle a shovel, and with a bit of reading and some solid advice, I think I could make it work .... but honestly, I just can't get the math to make sense in my head ....

I heard that USDA subsidies for walnut orchards can go up to about $13333 per acre ....

Come on, let me hear what you guys think about this!!! ☕ 🙄

Neraste, if you're actually serious about this, I'm looking for partners 🙂... I've got about $10,000 in startup capital ready to go. My idea was more along the lines of a mixed fruit orchard—apples, pears, plums, and all that stuff—with some sheep grazing in between the rows... but we could definitely find space for some walnuts too...

I totally blanked... everything was organic, obviously. Double the incentives, double the price..

Walter Chase56 said:I am looking for someone interested in planting carrots, cabbage, peas, lettuce, and similar crops, while also having a weekend getaway just outside of Washington, D.C. It’s located in a small town in the Midwest, about an hour's drive from the city center. The plot is roughly 400 square meters.
There is no housing available, though you are welcome to bring a tent if you wish to stay overnight.🙂

I am offering this rent-free on the condition that fruit trees are planted, which the tenant may then enjoy for at least 5 to 7 years.

I live abroad.
This land used to be a vineyard.

You could also plant apple trees; they yield much faster than walnut trees.
Or perhaps hazelnuts?

400 square meters is way too small, my friend.

vividbear5 said:It depends on the variety, but from what I’ve gathered, walnuts are "jealous" trees—they don't play well with others, even their own kind. You're looking at spacing something like 10x12 or 12x14 feet, roughly.

Yield:

. yield kg yield kg
age good location bad location
1 - 15 0 0
16 - 25 10 7
26 - 35 25 15
36 - 60 45 22
61 - 80 55 13
81 - 100 32 13

Apparently, Kyrgyzstan has the highest concentration of walnut trees in the world.

The major producers of walnuts (for eating) are: the USA, the former USSR, China, Turkey, and Italy.

Back in 2005, global production hit about 1.5 million tons.

In the Western US, roughly 82,000 hectares are planted with walnuts, yielding about 295,000 tons from those 80,000 hectares.
So, you're looking at an average industrial yield of about 3.5 tons per hectare.

For comparison, you can pull up to 30 or 35 tons per hectare with apples—pears are similar.

That’s exactly why the market price for apples is significantly lower than for walnuts.🙂

I started looking into planting walnuts about two years ago. Unfortunately, it never moved past the idea stage. Since walnuts have become such a trendy commodity in the meantime, it likely won't happen anytime soon. 😢

It would be helpful if one of our resident "economic experts" 🙏 could put together a proper "investment plan" here—something with actual substance to think about, rather than just a plan "calculated on fingers."

Here is the data I've managed to collect on walnuts so far.

English Walnut - Juglans regia

Potential uses/outputs:
- Yield ("eating five walnuts a day keeps your arteries clear"). Contains 15% protein (comparable to meat), high levels of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E, plus 42%-60% fats (depending on whether they are fresh or dried)—with an above-average amount of omega-3 fatty acids (heart health). It also packs 11%-16% protein, 15%-23% carbohydrates, plenty of zinc (good for liver, hair, sperm), potassium (heart), along with magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, calcium... Harvest runs from mid-September through late November (variable). Dried walnuts are up to 50% lighter than fresh ones and contain about 8% moisture.
One analysis breaks it down like this:
Per 100g of walnuts:
. kcal/kJ 700/2900
. water % 5
. carbohydrates % 14
. raw protein % 15
. fat % 61
. fiber % 3
. minerals % 2
. Vitamin C mg 3 (fresh can be 20!!!)
. Vitamin E mg 10
. Vitamin B1 mg 0.35
. Vitamin B2 mg 0.12
. vitamin B5 mg 1.0
. Vitamin B6 mg 0.8
. Potassium mg 570
. Phosphor mg 420
. Magnesium mg 180
. Calcium mg 80
. Sodium mg 3
. Iron mg 2
. Iodine mg 0.003

- Walnut oil (which is incredibly expensive): contains 18% fatty acids (similar to olive oil) and 50% linoleic acid.
- Timber: walnut is highly valued wood.
- Harvesting semi-green crops in June (high Vitamin C content). These are used to make jams rich in Vitamin C, liqueurs, etc. Candied versions are known as "black walnuts."
Early summer is the sweet spot for harvesting leaves. This is when you get that peak concentration—around 1% Vitamin C—which is actually the highest amount found in any single plant in the States.
The extract is pulled directly from the green outer shell—specifically, you get Juglone. It’s used for everything from brown hair dye to wood stains, and even as a way to dye goat hides.
Wood bark—essential for aging spirits, coloring, and nailing down that specific Cognac profile.
Crushed shells can serve as an effective abrasive granulate for various industrial surface treatments—think things like compressor maintenance, working with non-ferrous metals, rubber, or electronics. It’s also quite handy for stripping old varnish off furniture during restoration if you need to open up the wood's pores and structure.
Rootstock—it’s used to produce high-end walnut veneers. When you find those absolutely perfect, massive, old-growth roots—which are incredibly rare—you’re looking at upwards of $10,000 per piece. They end up in luxury automotive interiors, too—think walnut trim in a Mercedes. ;-)
-

There are roughly 60 different varieties of walnuts out there.
Home base: The North America and the Near East.
Depending on the variety you choose, spacing ranges from roughly 30x30 feet up to 40x45 feet—it’s a space hog. And if you're actually looking for a decent harvest, don't bother planting them in dense woodland; walnuts barely produce anything in the shade, so they really need open ground to thrive.
If you're looking at light requirements or growth rates—it’s pretty much identical to what you’d see with a cherry tree.
It reaches about 80 feet in height—and those roots go incredibly deep.
Young trees handle competition for sunlight much better than the old ones do. An old tree’s canopy basically tries to hog every single ray of light for itself—it doesn't exactly play well with neighbors. If you're looking for fruit, you'll only find it on the branches getting direct sun.
If the goal is timber production rather than harvesting nuts, you plant them densely—roughly 2x2m to 2x4m spacing. The idea is to force vertical growth through light competition; you end up with trees hitting that 30-foot mark much faster, which yields longer, straighter trunks and branches. For this specific purpose, you’d typically go with Black Walnut (*Juglans nigra*) or a hybrid like *Juglans x intermedia*—essentially a cross between the Black Walnut and the English Walnut.
It rarely thrives above 2,600 feet—though you’ll occasionally spot it hanging out up in the Rockies at 4,000 feet or even scaling the Himalayas toward 11,000.
It looks like the entire region—if you can even call it that—is practically tailor-made for walnut orchards.
It grows in almost any type of soil—provided you meet its demands. You need deep, well-draining, loose earth that stays warm and gets plenty of water. Aim for a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Watch out for high lime content, though; too much calcium can trigger chlorosis. Avoid light sand or heavy, waterlogged clay—those are definitely not going to work.
For an ideal soil composition, you're looking at 20 mg P2O5, 20 mg K2O, 10 mg MgO, and 0.8 ppm Boron. Honestly—if you want to actually enrich the soil rather than just watching it deplete—you might as well look into using synthetic fertilizers. It’s a straightforward way to fix the balance.
It’s sensitive to late frosts—which tends to kill off the male flowers—and harsh winters. Because of that, climate is easily one of the most critical factors you have to weigh before deciding where to plant.
For ideal results, you want south and west-facing slopes within valleys—think Napa Valley vibes—where the average annual temperature stays north of 45°F. You’ll need a growing season of at least 180 days. Ideally, temperatures shouldn't dip below -22°F. Also, once spring rolls around, the soil needs to hit at least 50°F to ensure the roots actually take hold and the trees decide to leaf out.
Water requirements for this species are pretty mediocre—it needs about 25–30 inches of annual rainfall to stay happy. The soil moisture retention isn't ideal either; you’ll notice the wood doesn't take stain very well from the inside out. Plus, those cold, damp winters around here tend to make them much more susceptible to fungal issues.
Absolutely cannot stand being outshone—it’s just not in their nature.
Digging holes—80x60 cm. You’ll want to trim the roots during planting—it’s standard practice for just about any tree, really. Fill it in lightly with soil and give it a deep soak. One thing, though: don't bury your compost deeper than 20 cm. If you go too deep, you end up with a massive pocket of organic matter that won't decompose properly—which, predictably, ends up doing more harm than good to the root system.
Don't expect much action early on—you won't see any significant growth from the tree until its third year.
It takes until the third year for the roots to really establish themselves—so, basically, any green "competitor" nearby, like a patch of grass, is just stealing its water and nutrients. That’s why you don't see full coverage until much later.
In the first year, you don't "milk" it. You only start shortening the duration during the second year.
Grafted walnut trees tend to be more resilient when it comes to disease. However, during those acidic years, you might run into issues with Marssonina—which shows up as spotting on the leaves—or certain types of bacterial blight. Usually, treating them with copper-based sprays does the trick.
Flowering occurs between April and June. The male blossoms typically emerge about four weeks ahead of the female ones—a bit of a head start, I suppose. It’s wind-pollinated (anemophilous), which keeps things simple.
You won't see much of anything after five years—maybe a small harvest if you're lucky and in the right spot. It takes about forty years to reach a full yield. Realistically, you’re looking at maybe 90 pounds once they peak—though that depends entirely on the weather. People always say "good years for wine are good years for walnuts," and there's some truth to that. Usually, after one standout year, you can expect two mediocre ones followed by one total bust.
- Fruit only develops on branches getting direct sunlight. By that logic, even the nectarines—though they rarely produce as heavily as a plum or apple might—need enough light to prevent the interior from becoming hollow once the canopy gets too thick in old age. It’s also a decent way to keep those nasty leaf spots and bacterial infections at bay.

🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

gentlecanyon65 said:..... so I've been doing some deep thinking and scrolling through a ton of stuff lately ....

The price for farmland out here is actually pretty reasonable, so since I’ve got some decent cash sitting around and I’m definitely not the type to just sit on my ass all day, I started wondering why the hell I wouldn't just dive into agriculture
..... My big idea is to set up some permanent walnut orchards.... once they're established, they don't require an insane amount of daily grind, which means this doesn't even have to be my main hustle, yet it could still pull in some serious profit after a few years.... so my plan is to snag maybe 12 to 25 acres of land and plant a massive WALNUT grove ....

Now look .... I'm no professional farmer, but I know how to handle a shovel, and with a bit of reading and some solid advice, I think I could make it work .... but honestly, I just can't get the math to make sense in my head ....

I heard that USDA subsidies for walnut orchards can go up to about $13333 per acre ....

Come on, let me hear what you guys think about this!!! ☕ 🙄

I’m looking for a kind soul who might have some leads on nursery contact info for two-year-old walnut saplings.
Last year, I stumbled upon an article in the New York Times about a specific nursery located near Columbus, but for the life of me, I can't track them down anymore...
pls hlp
TIA

gentlecanyon65 said:..... so I've been doing some deep thinking and scrolling through a ton of stuff lately ....

The price for farmland out here is actually pretty reasonable, so since I’ve got some decent cash sitting around and I’m definitely not the type to just sit on my ass all day, I started wondering why the hell I wouldn't just dive into agriculture
..... My big idea is to set up some permanent walnut orchards.... once they're established, they don't require an insane amount of daily grind, which means this doesn't even have to be my main hustle, yet it could still pull in some serious profit after a few years.... so my plan is to snag maybe 12 to 25 acres of land and plant a massive WALNUT grove ....

Now look .... I'm no professional farmer, but I know how to handle a shovel, and with a bit of reading and some solid advice, I think I could make it work .... but honestly, I just can't get the math to make sense in my head ....

I heard that USDA subsidies for walnut orchards can go up to about $13333 per acre ....

Come on, let me hear what you guys think about this!!! ☕ 🙄

I think I heard somewhere that companies like Walmart and Hershey's work directly with suppliers and even invest in them. I'm not 100% sure on the details, but it wouldn't hurt to look into it... There are also a ton of other variables you need to consider before jumping in. You should probably talk to some pros before you go buying land, seedlings, or anything else.

William Hall2 said:The plantation is located right near the high school. If anyone happens to have some decent literature on growing walnuts or hazelnuts, please let me know. I’m quite interested in getting into fruit cultivation myself.
That said, I haven't really heard from any seasoned pros yet. Is it actually worth the investment, or am I just chasing a pipe dream?😘

This book was only about five bucks

Now it's listed at 390 cents, which is basically nothing...

Anonymous said:I’m looking for a kind soul who might have some leads on nursery contact info for two-year-old walnut saplings.
Last year, I stumbled upon an article in the New York Times about a specific nursery located near Columbus, but for the life of me, I can't track them down anymore...
pls hlp
TIA

http://www.vinogradarstvo.com/index.php?s=677

And you claim Google is some foreign concept to you....

It’s kind of funny how everyone here seems so obsessed with walnut orchards. I'm curious, though—what’s the actual draw?
Nobody ever touches the numbers.
What are we talking about in terms of annual revenue for a beginner farmer getting into crops like this—whether it's veggies, fruit, or whatever else? Just looking for some rough ballpark figures.

With walnut farming, you aren't seeing a dime of profit for at least the first decade...

We do this because we love the work; honestly, we've had more than enough of staring at computer screens all day...

Besides, it’ll leave behind something meaningful for the generations to come...

You must have taken a walnut to the head🙂 or something!?!
-raspberries, tons of them, watermelons, potatoes, vineyards, cherries, more cherries, strawberries...
blackberries to make your own wine, olives, tangerines, mushrooms!!! there's your help... peace.

Keith Taylor4 said:With walnut farming, you aren't seeing a dime of profit for at least the first decade...

We do this because we love the work; honestly, we've had more than enough of staring at computer screens all day...

Besides, it’ll leave behind something meaningful for the generations to come...

Pshh... you can't pay the mortgage with "love."👎
The idea of grinding away for ten years without seeing a dime? No thanks. I think people should look at our former boxer Mavrović—how smoothly he transitioned into eco-friendly production. That's what people actually need: organic, healthy farming, not the processed junk we find sitting on the shelves at Walmart.....

What’s the average diameter for a Black Walnut tree once it hits about 13 feet in height? Also, under pretty standard growing conditions, how many years does it typically take to reach that stage?
And how many of them can you realistically fit on a single acre?
I'm asking because I'm looking into planting some Black Walnut, and I've read that you should plant them close together to encourage vertical growth. My concern is, if they're packed in like that, how much will the trunks actually thicken up if the canopy stays so restricted?

Dennis Patel4 said:What’s the average diameter for a Black Walnut tree once it hits about 13 feet in height? Also, under pretty standard growing conditions, how many years does it typically take to reach that stage?
And how many of them can you realistically fit on a single acre?
I'm asking because I'm looking into planting some Black Walnut, and I've read that you should plant them close together to encourage vertical growth. My concern is, if they're packed in like that, how much will the trunks actually thicken up if the canopy stays so restricted?

Forgive me, friend, but are you blind or just lazy?

Maybe try actually reading what’s already been written here.

Or, heaven forbid, do a little digging through some literature, Google, or even Wikipedia.

If you're too lazy to put in the work and still want to plant walnuts—under the assumption they're "low maintenance"—at least have the decency to read. You can do that while sitting down.

And if you think Black Walnut costs the same as premium English walnut, you're mistaken. Furniture manufacturers didn't just fall from space.

Check out Post 127 (on this thread, second one down, so you don't have to hunt too long):

vividbear5 said:I started looking into planting walnuts about two years ago. Unfortunately, it never moved past the idea stage. Since walnuts have become such a trendy commodity in the meantime, it likely won't happen anytime soon. 😢

It would be helpful if one of our resident "economic experts" 🙏 could put together a proper "investment plan" here—something with actual substance to think about, rather than just a plan "calculated on fingers."

Here is the data I've managed to collect on walnuts so far.

English Walnut - Juglans regia

Potential uses/outputs:
- Yield ("eating five walnuts a day keeps your arteries clear"). Contains 15% protein (comparable to meat), high levels of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E, plus 42%-60% fats (depending on whether they are fresh or dried)—with an above-average amount of omega-3 fatty acids (heart health). It also packs 11%-16% protein, 15%-23% carbohydrates, plenty of zinc (good for liver, hair, sperm), potassium (heart), along with magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, calcium... Harvest runs from mid-September through late November (variable). Dried walnuts are up to 50% lighter than fresh ones and contain about 8% moisture.
One analysis breaks it down like this:
Per 100g of walnuts:
. kcal/kJ 700/2900
. water % 5
. carbohydrates % 14
. raw protein % 15
. fat % 61
. fiber % 3
. minerals % 2
. Vitamin C mg 3 (fresh can be 20!!!)
. Vitamin E mg 10
. Vitamin B1 mg 0.35
. Vitamin B2 mg 0.12
. vitamin B5 mg 1.0
. Vitamin B6 mg 0.8
. Potassium mg 570
. Phosphor mg 420
. Magnesium mg 180
. Calcium mg 80
. Sodium mg 3
. Iron mg 2
. Iodine mg 0.003

- Walnut oil (which is incredibly expensive): contains 18% fatty acids (similar to olive oil) and 50% linoleic acid.
- Timber: walnut is highly valued wood.
- Harvesting semi-green crops in June (high Vitamin C content). These are used to make jams rich in Vitamin C, liqueurs, etc. Candied versions are known as "black walnuts."
Early summer is the sweet spot for harvesting leaves. This is when you get that peak concentration—around 1% Vitamin C—which is actually the highest amount found in any single plant in the States.
The extract is pulled directly from the green outer shell—specifically, you get Juglone. It’s used for everything from brown hair dye to wood stains, and even as a way to dye goat hides.
Wood bark—essential for aging spirits, coloring, and nailing down that specific Cognac profile.
Crushed shells can serve as an effective abrasive granulate for various industrial surface treatments—think things like compressor maintenance, working with non-ferrous metals, rubber, or electronics. It’s also quite handy for stripping old varnish off furniture during restoration if you need to open up the wood's pores and structure.
Rootstock—it’s used to produce high-end walnut veneers. When you find those absolutely perfect, massive, old-growth roots—which are incredibly rare—you’re looking at upwards of $10,000 per piece. They end up in luxury automotive interiors, too—think walnut trim in a Mercedes. ;-)
-

There are roughly 60 different varieties of walnuts out there.
Home base: The North America and the Near East.
Depending on the variety you choose, spacing ranges from roughly 30x30 feet up to 40x45 feet—it’s a space hog. And if you're actually looking for a decent harvest, don't bother planting them in dense woodland; walnuts barely produce anything in the shade, so they really need open ground to thrive.
If you're looking at light requirements or growth rates—it’s pretty much identical to what you’d see with a cherry tree.
It reaches about 80 feet in height—and those roots go incredibly deep.
Young trees handle competition for sunlight much better than the old ones do. An old tree’s canopy basically tries to hog every single ray of light for itself—it doesn't exactly play well with neighbors. If you're looking for fruit, you'll only find it on the branches getting direct sun.
If the goal is timber production rather than harvesting nuts, you plant them densely—roughly 2x2m to 2x4m spacing. The idea is to force vertical growth through light competition; you end up with trees hitting that 30-foot mark much faster, which yields longer, straighter trunks and branches. For this specific purpose, you’d typically go with Black Walnut (*Juglans nigra*) or a hybrid like *Juglans x intermedia*—essentially a cross between the Black Walnut and the English Walnut.
It rarely thrives above 2,600 feet—though you’ll occasionally spot it hanging out up in the Rockies at 4,000 feet or even scaling the Himalayas toward 11,000.
It looks like the entire region—if you can even call it that—is practically tailor-made for walnut orchards.
It grows in almost any type of soil—provided you meet its demands. You need deep, well-draining, loose earth that stays warm and gets plenty of water. Aim for a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Watch out for high lime content, though; too much calcium can trigger chlorosis. Avoid light sand or heavy, waterlogged clay—those are definitely not going to work.
For an ideal soil composition, you're looking at 20 mg P2O5, 20 mg K2O, 10 mg MgO, and 0.8 ppm Boron. Honestly—if you want to actually enrich the soil rather than just watching it deplete—you might as well look into using synthetic fertilizers. It’s a straightforward way to fix the balance.
It’s sensitive to late frosts—which tends to kill off the male flowers—and harsh winters. Because of that, climate is easily one of the most critical factors you have to weigh before deciding where to plant.
For ideal results, you want south and west-facing slopes within valleys—think Napa Valley vibes—where the average annual temperature stays north of 45°F. You’ll need a growing season of at least 180 days. Ideally, temperatures shouldn't dip below -22°F. Also, once spring rolls around, the soil needs to hit at least 50°F to ensure the roots actually take hold and the trees decide to leaf out.
Water requirements for this species are pretty mediocre—it needs about 25–30 inches of annual rainfall to stay happy. The soil moisture retention isn't ideal either; you’ll notice the wood doesn't take stain very well from the inside out. Plus, those cold, damp winters around here tend to make them much more susceptible to fungal issues.
Absolutely cannot stand being outshone—it’s just not in their nature.
Digging holes—80x60 cm. You’ll want to trim the roots during planting—it’s standard practice for just about any tree, really. Fill it in lightly with soil and give it a deep soak. One thing, though: don't bury your compost deeper than 20 cm. If you go too deep, you end up with a massive pocket of organic matter that won't decompose properly—which, predictably, ends up doing more harm than good to the root system.
Don't expect much action early on—you won't see any significant growth from the tree until its third year.
It takes until the third year for the roots to really establish themselves—so, basically, any green "competitor" nearby, like a patch of grass, is just stealing its water and nutrients. That’s why you don't see full coverage until much later.
In the first year, you don't "milk" it. You only start shortening the duration during the second year.
Grafted walnut trees tend to be more resilient when it comes to disease. However, during those acidic years, you might run into issues with Marssonina—which shows up as spotting on the leaves—or certain types of bacterial blight. Usually, treating them with copper-based sprays does the trick.
Flowering occurs between April and June. The male blossoms typically emerge about four weeks ahead of the female ones—a bit of a head start, I suppose. It’s wind-pollinated (anemophilous), which keeps things simple.
You won't see much of anything after five years—maybe a small harvest if you're lucky and in the right spot. It takes about forty years to reach a full yield. Realistically, you’re looking at maybe 90 pounds once they peak—though that depends entirely on the weather. People always say "good years for wine are good years for walnuts," and there's some truth to that. Usually, after one standout year, you can expect two mediocre ones followed by one total bust.
- Fruit only develops on branches getting direct sunlight. By that logic, even the nectarines—though they rarely produce as heavily as a plum or apple might—need enough light to prevent the interior from becoming hollow once the canopy gets too thick in old age. It’s also a decent way to keep those nasty leaf spots and bacterial infections at bay.

So, I’ve been watching lately how many of my friends are suddenly obsessed with getting into agriculture, and honestly, it’s left me a bit stunned. It got me thinking: I’ve got about five acres of land out here, and I'm weighing the idea of planting an apple orchard. Maintenance shouldn't be much of a headache since my cousin is an agronomist and she’s more than happy to jump in and help run the show. I guess I’m just looking for some real-world perspective. Once you actually get those trees in the ground, what kind of upfront capital are we talking about, and what does the workload look like during those first few years? 🙏

vividbear5 said:Forgive me, friend, but are you blind or just lazy?

Maybe try actually reading what’s already been written here.

Or, heaven forbid, do a little digging through some literature, Google, or even Wikipedia.

If you're too lazy to put in the work and still want to plant walnuts—under the assumption they're "low maintenance"—at least have the decency to read. You can do that while sitting down.

And if you think Black Walnut costs the same as premium English walnut, you're mistaken. Furniture manufacturers didn't just fall from space.

Check out Post 127 (on this thread, second one down, so you don't have to hunt too long):

I don't really hang out with people who act like know-it-alls without knowing anything. Sorry, but maybe try a different forum.
If you had actually listened to my question, you might have had an answer for me. As it stands, there was no point in you posting at all.

Hi there, I've finally jumped in! I have been reading through all the previous posts quite carefully, and I am honestly so pleasantly surprised to see such a growing interest in agriculture among the younger generation here in America. It is truly inspiring! To be honest, this whole discussion has completely opened my eyes regarding walnut production—I had absolutely no idea just how versatile they actually are. 👍
Now, I am seriously considering starting my own walnut grove, but I find myself stuck on the one question that matters most to me: how much time does a family actually need to commit each week to managing about 3.5 acres of walnuts if everyone is working full-time jobs in the city? Is it even feasible to manage it that way, or do you really need to be 100% dedicated, constantly hovering over the saplings and such? Or would just heading out on the weekends to handle maintenance be enough?