Chestnuts, when ripe, usually split open at the top, revealing the dark brown, hard-shelled nuts within.
In Quang Lac commune, Lang Son city, Lang Son province, there are 50 hectares of chestnut trees, with over 100 households participating, mostly in the villages of Quang Trung and Quang Hong. Chestnut trees are easy to grow and thrive on high hills and in cold climates.
To harvest ripe chestnuts, pickers must climb the trees and shake them vigorously. The ripe nuts will fall first, and the harvesters simply need to shell them. Unripe chestnuts have a green, fuzzy outer shell similar to a rambutan, while ripe ones have a brown shell with shiny brown nuts inside. Each chestnut contains one to three nuts. Chestnut trees take about three years to bear fruit, but by the fifth and sixth years, the yield increases to 12-15 kg per tree per year, with some trees yielding up to 20 kg.
Chestnut harvesting is an enjoyable activity for children as it allows them to play and connect with nature.
Chestnuts do not ripen all at once, so harvesters must check the trees daily to see if any are ready. If a tree has many ripe nuts that have not fallen, it must be shaken. Ripe nuts will fall, and those that have split open can be collected, while those still closed need to be cut open with scissors, as the sharp shell can cause pain if handled without care.
In recent years, many families from Hanoi have participated in the chestnut-picking tourism model, enjoying the experience of harvesting and tasting fresh chestnuts straight from the orchard. Harvesting chestnuts requires protective gloves and cutting tools due to the sharp, hard shells, which can cause injury if not handled carefully.
Ms. Yen Le (Director of a travel company) shared: Our chestnut-picking tour in Lang Son offers two options: a one-day trip for 750,000 VND, including round-trip transportation from Hanoi to Lang Son, lunch, snacks, orchard entrance fees, and a guide. The bus will pick up guests from Hanoi at 4:45 AM and return around 7 PM. Families with young children who don’t have much time can still have a fun-filled day.
The second option is a two-day, one-night tour for those with more time. With a longer duration, tourists can visit more places and attractions in addition to chestnut picking.
As it is a seasonal tour with reasonable prices, it is very popular. We are already fully booked for the chestnut-picking tour from now until the end of August.
The chestnut-picking tour is popular among parents as it provides physical activity for children and teaches them the value of labor.
Last year, Ms. Pham Thanh Ngan (Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi) was invited by a friend to join the chestnut-picking tour. This year, she decided to reward the academically excellent children in her extended family with a trip to Lang Son. Last year, a friend introduced me to this tour, and my children loved it. They got to see chestnut trees for the first time, wear gloves to find and pick chestnuts, and then shell them. The included lunch featured delicious Lang Son specialties, and my children especially loved the roasted duck.
This year, I decided to replace the usual gifts for the high-achieving children in our family with this chestnut-picking tour. We’re leaving at the end of the month, and the kids are so excited that the adults are also looking forward to it.
, she shared.
The chestnut orchard model not only brings economic benefits to the households but also creates jobs for some local workers. Every year, from September to October, the people of Quang Lac have the opportunity to earn extra income by offering chestnut-picking services.
