For Landowners:

Orchards as a Service (5-year commitment)

Client landowners hire Breadtree as a contractor to install and manage an orchard on their behalf. The client owns the trees, and we are responsible for all aspects of stewardship and care of those trees for the first 5 years. Starting in year 6, trees will generally be bearing well, and landowners have the option to either take over management and harvest themselves, or hire us to manage, harvest, and wholesale the chestnuts through Breadtree's sales and distribution. Compared to a lease, this kind of project is a substantial investment for the landowner, but will generate considerably more revenue over time, while increasing the value of the underlying land. If another farmer is grazing or haying your land, we can design orchards in a way that those other farmers can continue to graze or hay the alleys.

Long-term Leases (99-year commitment)

For leases, Breadtree covers all costs and labor associated with establishing and managing orchards on neighbors’ lands. We own the trees, and instead of annual lease payments, the landowner receives a percentage of all revenue from the nut production for the term of the lease. If another farmer is grazing or haying your land, we can design orchards in a way that those other farmers can continue to graze or hay the alleys.

Leases are capital-intensive projects for us. Because our cash is currently committed to lands already under our tenure, we can’t currently prioritize new lease partnerships. We have a waitlist for interested lessors, and do not expect to take on more leases before Spring 2026.

For Farmers:

Come Work with us

Breadtree offers a number of paid and volunteer opportunities throughout the year for folks to get experience working with trees, from planting to harvesting. This is a great way to develop your skills and experience, and build relationships with peers who are passionate about tree crops and agroforestry. Every member of our full-time team started out as a volunteer. If you’d like to participate, please be in touch.

Land Access

Access to land is a major barrier for young farmers in the Northeast. We seek opportunities to create fair and secure land access for other farmers to manage regenerative agricultural enterprises on land Breadtree owns. If you are a farmer seeking land access and you'd like to learn more about working with us, please contact us.

Technical Support

For farmers who already have land access and are interested in operating their own chestnut orchards, we are offering to provide design support and layout for their planting, and to sell trees and tubes for establishment. This is a great option for folks who want to operate their own farm and build with sweat equity, while avoiding the many mistakes that we have learned from in our decade doing this work.