Hazelnuts with Tom Molnar

The Forest Garden

Join us for a deep dive into the Hazelnut, a tree crop that has not been discussed enough on this podcast! Today we primarily talk about European hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) and hybrids (Corylus avellana x americana), and learn from Dr. Tom Molnar about the decades of germplasm collection, evaluation, and breeding research his lab has conducted at Rutgers University. In 2020, Rutgers released a handful of EFB resistant cultivars of european hazelnuts and a hybrid hazelnut called 'The Beast'. Tune in to learn all about them. We also discuss other hazelnut breeding programs in the U.S. involving both European and American hazelnuts, and how climate change may impact tree crop agriculture in the coming decades.

Tom recommends contacting him via email if you are interested in growing hazelnuts released by Rutgers: Tom's Contact Page

Tom also recommends checking out, and considering membership with, the Northern Nut Growers.

To acquire hazelnut cultivars released by Rutgers, Tom recommends:
Foggy Bottom Tree Farm

Grimo Nut Nursery

Z’s Nutty Ridge

Burnt Ridge Nursery

Topics covered in our discussion on climate adaptation related to Hazelnuts was inspired by the climate change chapter of the book Growing Hybrid Hazelnuts by Phil Rutter

Listeners may be interested in learning more about the Oregon State University Hazelnut Research Program.

The Badgersett Research Farm is also mentioned in this episode.