Would you pick fruit from a Free Community Orchard?

[yesiamyesiamokaycallmeback]

There is some wasted land near my house and I asked the local MP how I would go about getting permission to plant an orchard for the community.

I will need to save up for about a year to be able to buy enough trees and bushes.

If someone planted an orchard near you would you use it? I am thinking of growing apple, pear, plum and cherry trees, raspberry and possibly currents. Maybe tomatoes as the seeds are so cheap to source and they usually do well.
Is there anything anyone would love to see in a community orchard? Possibly nut trees like Hazel or walnut but I haven't looked into this yet. would be nice.

do you think i should make signs for the trees telling people when best to harvest?

Tell me honestly would you like one in your community? would you use it?

My first thought would be it would ease the pressure on food banks over time but then I thought that maybe people wouldn't use it and it would just be a waste of time (except for me- i would use it!)

Yes.

You should do a crowdfunding thing

Sounds lovely - I use the ones in my town. They’re maintained by the council. They do have problems with people picking fruit before it’s ripe but overall they are successful and well used.

Great idea and you might well get grant funding to start it off (purchase of trees/expert advice etc)
Good luck.

We have ones in our community (mainly apples) and they are used, but I always think a lot of people don't know they are there or realise that it's ok to pick the fruit! I used to take my children there a lot when they were younger and they were very excited by them, and I suspect with more focus moving to outdoor activities they might be more popular in the future.

One thing that happens locally is that a community apple pick is organised at the end of the season; drinks, snacks and tools are provided and the apples are then given/sold(not sure which) to a local company that makes cider i.e. there is no fruit wasted.

Definitely.

Don’t bother with the tomatoes, though. Yes, they propagate easily but they need lots of faffing to get a crop (regularly pinching out side shoots, sturdy support canes, regular watering and feeding, kept free of blight so not to infect the rest)

I’d go for things that look after themselves.

If there was signage to tell me I was allowed then yes I absolutely would use it and think it was a lovely idea.

Would be a great thing to do with the kids for example.

Signage is always good to let people know what is there and when is best to harvest.

I wonder if you could apply for a small grant to fund the plants and trees.

Also I wonder if you could register it as a charity and put a just giving link up so that if members of the community want to contribute they could send £1 or 2 when they use it.

Definitely try and make it a community thing and other people might donate trees, fruit bushes.
In bloom or conservation volunteers might help with the maintenance.

@GammyLeg there is a small one near me which is well used but very out of the way. I didn't know about it for years. there are only about 12 trees and the apples get swiped very quickly. I do get a lot out of it.

@goldfishparade
this is actually a really good idea. I'm not sure how to go about it, can anyone set up a crowdfunding page?

There is one near me and I use it. There is always an abundance and I wish more people knew about it.

I would love that, brilliant idea!

Yes I would, we pick blackberries when they are ripe and use them in desserts or added to yoghurt,

I’d love something like that. Signs are the key though.

You may well find your local rotary club or the like would be up for helping to fund it.

We have our own orchard now but in previous years this is exactly the sort of thing we would have liked and have used before.

@44PumpLane the space is right next to a primary school so hopefully the children would grow up being used to picking local, seasonal fruit.
I definitely think a sign would let people know its not school property. I would be worried about being told off I think.

I think it is a fab idea and I don't know why more towns and villages don't do it ,good on you.

@RedskyAtnight that sounds lovely and just the kind of thing our community needs. Like a lively little harvest festival.

There will be lots of places you might be able to get grants from.
Local parish council, if urban there will probably be small funding pots within your local council. The co-op, Rotary Club, RHS, Woodland Trust.
Lovely idea.

You might find this site interesting

www.theorchardproject.org.uk/blog/orchard-communities/

I would love this. It would be amazing for kids, often the only surefire way I can get DS to eat vegetables is to let him pick them himself out of the garden. I’m no master gardener but have managed peas and carrots this year and DS has been all over them!

@yesiamyesiamokaycallmeback I might suggest peas, actually. They are so easy to grow and you get millions of them off a few plants - just a raised bed and some bamboo canes.

Check who owns the land first. There's no such thing as wasteland, it will be owned by someone.

I think it’s a great idea!
Not sure about your location, but a lot of large developers give local communities money for this sort of thing - think Barratt, Countryside, Bellway, Persimmon Taylor Wimpey etc.

Sounds good but be prepared for it to get raided by a few greedy people whenever fruit appears. If it becomes a bit known, they might not even live in the area

@Sleepingdogs12 I think the worry is maintenance but after a couple of years they give more than they need.
I watched a video about a town which was basically a massive community garden and everyone grew food in their gardens and on the street. it looked so idyllic. I bet nobody goes hungry there.

@Beamur we checked. it is not owned by anybody. not even the council. there are a few small spaces dotted around that are completely free

all quite small but big enough for a couple of trees