Help City Fruit care for trees on public land – Next work party on May 22
City Fruit is a Seattle non-profit whose main mission is to harvest surplus fruit from trees on private property and donate the fruit to food banks, shelters, and feeding programs. A second mission is to care for fruit trees on public land, such as Seattle parks. The goal is to make these trees healthy and productive so that they become a predictable source of fresh, organic produce that can then be donated to our hungry neighbors.
The orchards they steward include Pipers’ Orchard in Carkeek Park, Meridian Playfield in Wallingford, the Burke-Gilman Trail between the University Bridge and past Gasworks Park, plus other orchards in Queen Anne, central and SE Seattle.
City Fruit has an ongoing need of volunteers to help with the care of the trees in these orchards. Different orchards require different tasks, depending upon how long the trees have been stewarded. Mid-May to mid-June is a very busy time for volunteers as they put “footies” or paper bags on the apples to keep them worm-free. All fruit care practices are organic and free of chemical pesticides and herbicides.
The next work party is on May 22, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Amy Yee Tennis Center. To learn more about this and other volunteer opportunities, visit the events page on the City Fruit website.
Contact: Barb Burrill, City Fruit Orchard Steward Coordinator