People’s Orchard Planting

Orchard plan courtesy of Gardens on Spring Creek (Click to enlarge)   This is the plot just south of NRRC Building A.

We’ve made the jump from Planning to Planting! Your Green Team is inviting volunteers to see our People’s Orchard become a reality on Saturday, September 17^th, from 8:35 a.m. until all the trees are planted and watered. The more hands we have, the faster the work will go. The Green Team will be serving breakfast to volunteers from 8:00 a.m. until 8:30 a.m.

If you plan to attend, please email us. On the 17^th, bring sturdy work gloves and a shovel from home if you can.

The People’s Orchard will be home to apples, cherries, plums, currants, elderberries, and an apricot tree, all waiting for someone to give them a proper start. And there’s no extra charge for gittin’ yer hands dirty.

Our People’s Orchard is a collaborative effort with the City of Fort Collins, Colorado State University and USDA agencies throughout the NRRC campus:

• Building A’s Green Team provided the vision and leadership to coordinate this project and make it happen.
• The Gardens on Spring Creek helped us choose fruit tree and shrub varieties and designed the layout of the orchard. The Orchard will compliment the nearby Gardens by serving as an informal extension of their facilities.
• CSU’s University Landscape Architecture office provided design guidance and will install and maintain the orchard’s water-wise irrigation system.
• Other USDA buildings/agencies in Fort Collins are excited about the project and may have volunteers help us plant the trees on September 17th. They include ARS, APHIS and the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

In addition to being a nice alternative to the current weedy plot of ground, the orchard will save irrigation water, demonstrate sustainable growing practices, provide educational opportunities, and, in a few years, provide fresh fruit to the Larimer County Food Bank.

It’s important for volunteers to arrive on time Saturday morning at the south side of Building A. We will start with a “proper tree planting” briefing followed by a safety briefing—these are mandatory and won’t be repeated.  The Green Team will provide drinking water and a canopy on site with chairs so that people can get out of the sun and cool off if necessary and a first-aid kit to treat blisters—we told you to bring gloves!

And stay tuned … our People’s Garden is the next phase of the project!