106 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM The Chestnut King words by JOHANNA HARLOW Hans Johsens tells me. At 6-foot-3, Hans is a sturdy fellow with a lumberjack’s physique—ironic considering that his role here is cultivating rather than cutting down the 113 trees at Skyline Chestnuts. He acts as caretaker, partnering with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, which owns the land. Every fall, thousands flock to this orchard to gather the precious nuts. “I tell people that I don’t sell chestnuts, I sell an experience,” he says. “Most of the people that come here will say it’s one of their favorite things to do all year!” Sometimes a prickly exterior can hide something precious. That’s certainly true of the fearsome-looking chestnut. As I navigate the 20-acre U-pick orchard in the hills of La Honda, the ground is littered with small, spiky balls that resemble wayward sea urchins. Emboldened by the thick work gloves protecting my hands, I scoop one up. Upon closer inspection, the rich, glossy sheen of the nut is peeking through a crack in the husk like a precious gem. “They’re going to be sweeter than anything you can get in the store,” GO NUTS AT SKYLINE’S U-PICK ORCHARD
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