American Chestnut Serving Spoon

Support two great causes with the purchase of this special spoon!  100% of profits from this spoon will go to The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF.org) and the Needham Community Farm (needhamfarm.org)

Carved by hand from American chestnut, this 11-inch serving spoon is a rare piece of wood history made useful again.

The American chestnut once filled eastern forests by the billions before chestnut blight nearly erased mature trees from the landscape. Today, the species is functionally extinct, which makes any workable piece of chestnut especially meaningful. This spoon was carved from salvaged chestnut — a wood most people will never get to hold, let alone use at the table.

The bowl is 2½ inches wide, giving it a generous serving shape for vegetables, grains, salads, roasted potatoes, or anything passed around the table. The wood has beautiful streaking and character throughout, with warm golden tones and darker grain lines that give the spoon a quiet, almost weathered look.

Along the handle, I added a row of hand-cut geometric chip carving. It gives the piece a little texture, shadow, and traditional detail without overpowering the natural beauty of the chestnut itself.

This is a simple serving spoon, but with a much bigger story behind it — carved from a tree that once shaped entire forests, now turned into something meant to be held, used, and shared.

Signature Details

• Species: American Chestnut (functionally extinct species)

• Source: Salvaged limb, local Needham neighborhood

• Finish: Hand-carved, burnished with a river rock, and oiled

• Decoration: Geometric chip carving along handle

• Dimensions: 11" long; 2-1/2" wide bowl

• Use: Serving spoon for everyday meals and special gatherings