Our 164-Inch Black Walnut Tree

Some trees are more than part of the landscape—they become landmarks. Our black walnut at Angel Valley Farm is one of those trees.

We recently wrapped a tape around the trunk and measured an impressive 164 inches in circumference. That’s 13 feet 8 inches around—and, if you picture the trunk as roughly circular, a little over 52 inches across. The tape photo makes the number real, but standing beside it is something else entirely.

The walnut’s deeply furrowed bark carries the marks of many seasons. Look closely at our second photo and you may notice the little face watching over the farm. Whether it’s keeping an eye on the hayfields, the wildlife, or everyone passing by, it has become part of the tree’s personality.

We can’t know the tree’s exact age without counting its rings, but its size offers a fascinating clue. Using a common black-walnut growth-factor estimate, a 164-inch circumference suggests an age of roughly 235 years—and the simplified calculation rounds close to 250. Because soil, light, competition, and measuring height all affect trunk growth, we treat that number as an estimate rather than a fact. Even so, if the estimate is close, this walnut may have begun growing in the late 1700s, connecting the farm’s earliest history with the work of today.

We’re glad to share this quiet giant with you. The next time you’re at Angel Valley Farm, take a moment to look up—and say hello to one of our most memorable neighbors.