About Us

David and Helen have been growing organic chestnuts since 2000 & gained NASAA certification in 2013.

The property, ‘The Garden in the Forest’, is situated at 820m altitude on the Stanley Plateau in the foothills of the Victorian mountains.

It consists of 16 hectares of remnant montane native forest and 6 hectares of orchard, arboretum and garden.

We offer  the oldest and the best variety chestnut for internet sales,  “De Coppi Marone”. This is the classic Maron from Italy or the Marone from France. It originates from De Susa, west of Torino in Piemonte  NW Italy. This ancient variety has the best flavour, texture and peeling qualities.

We have a passion for ecological and organic growing, both as a benefit to the life around us and to the health of our customers.

We are organically certified. No insecticides, herbicides or chemical fertilisers are used. Nor after-harvest fungicide dips which are  used by many commercial chestnut growers.

Biodiversity is our focus, this is why our native forest is so important to us.

It is home to more than 300 plant species and an uncountable range of Fungi and insects .The local kangaroos, wallabies  wombats, echidnas, parrots magpies chuffs and menagerie of small birds and reptiles etc. are an important part of our organic soil management and visit the orchard constantly.

This biological diversity   reflects the health of the property.

Dave is a tree collector and has planted an arboretum of introduced and native trees including many rare species. He has personally propagated, grafted and planted the chestnut orchard.

Helen is the orchid & wildflower spotter, bird watcher, vegetable gardener and bulb grower. For three months of the year the chestnut harvest, grading and packing dominates her life.