PFTP Director Katy Kolker, Portland Mayor Sam Adams, and Sabin Community Association volunteer Rosemarie Cordello during the first planting event at Sabin Community Orchard in February 2010
Community Orchards
About the program:
PFTP works with community partners to cultivate new and existing orchards on publicly accessible lands. This exciting new program plants and maintains sites that demonstrate urban, organic food production, with an emphasis on fruit trees and other edible perennials.
Current projects:
Sabin Community Orchard
The Sabin Community Orchard was founded with the mission of creating a site that will provide nutritious food, educational demonstration, and the opportunity for community leadership in the backyard of Sabin Neighborhood residents in Northeast Portland. The Sabin Community Association and the Portland Fruit Tree Project collaboratively manage the orchard project. With help from many community members (including Mayor Sam Adams and comissioner Amanda Fritz), eight new fruit trees—figs, plums, Asian and European pears, persimmons, quince, and apples —were planted on site in February 2010 to accompany two existing cherry trees and an apple tree. A number of additional trees and fruiting bushes and vines were planted in the Fall of 2010 and Spring of 2011. The site now has under story plantings around many of the fruit trees, water catching swales along the slope, and beatiful signs explaining the space to passerbys. The orchard is located on NE Mason Street between NE 18th and 19th Avenues. Although it will take a few years to produce abundant food for its community, the Sabin Community Orchard is well on its way to becoming a hub of sustainability, recreation, and stewardship in Sabin.
Sabin Community Orchard :: Winter Work & Learn Party!
Sunday, February 26th, 2-4pm
Join Portland Fruit Tree Project and Sabin Neighborhood Association in a 'Work & Learn party' at the Sabin Community Orchard. This month, you'll have the opportunity to learn about winter pruning, in addition to helping out with orchard maintenance. No experience is necessary, and all are welcome (kids included)! Please RSVP to Jaye at intern@portlandfruit.org if you'd like to join us.
Winter pruning session will be led by Bruce Nelson. Bruce is an entomologist, arborist, organic gardener and long- time backyard fruit grower in the Cully neighborhood. He holds a Masters degree in Entomology from Washington State University. He has been a Horticulture instructor at Clackamas Community College since 1998.
The Sabin Community Orchard is on NE Mason Street, between 18th and 19th Avenues.
Become an Orchard Steward at Sabin Community Orchard!
We are seeking a few more volunteers to join our growing orchard team at the Sabin Community Orchard in 2012. Folks living in or near the Sabin neighborhood are especially encouraged to apply. No experience is necessary, though gardening / orchard experience is a plus! Commitment includes participation in nine work & learn parties (Feb 26th 2-4pm, and the 3rd Sunday of each month April through November), a summer watering shift, and an orientation / orchard team meeting on February 21st. Opportunity for more activities / responsibilities based on your interest.
This is a great opportunity to take on a longer-term volunteer role in PFTP's exciting and innovative community orchard program. For more information and an application form, please contact Katy at 503-284-6106, katy@portlandfruit.org
Application deadline is February 12th.
Sabin Community Orchard 2012 event schedule announced!
We are pleased to announce our 2012 series of Work & Learn Parties at the Sabin Community Orchard. Each month, you'll have the opportunity to learn about a particular topic in addition to helping out with orchard maintenance. No experience is necessary, and all are welcome (kids included)! The Sabin Community Orchard is on NE Mason Street between 18th and 19th Avenues.
2012 Work & Learn parties (Sundays, 2:00-4:00pm)
February 26th: Winter pruning (click here for details)
April 15th: Guild planting
May 20th: Neighborhood party & orchard tour
June 17th: Fruit thinning, pest & disease management
July 15th: Low-tech irrigation
August 19th: Summer pruning
September 19th: Discover the plants and fruit of the orchard!
October 21st: Fall pest/disease assessment
November 18th: Putting the orchard to bed for the winter
If you'd like to join the mailing list for the Sabin Community Orchard, please email katy@portlandfruit.org.
Green Thumb Community Orchard
Owned by Portland Parks and Recreation, and co-operatively managed by Portland Community Gardens and the Portland Fruit Tree Project, the Green Thumb Orchard is a historic orchard that hosts a great deal of activities. PFTP's tree care team maintains the orchard's trees, and the fruit is harvested through our harvesting programs. The Green Thumb Orchard is adjacent to Brentwood Community Garden on SE 57th Avenue and Copper Street, and lies within the Learning Gardens Laboratory. We encourage interested community members to contact us if you would like to hear about ways to get involved!
Killingsworth 'Community Food Forest'
The small orchard and garden at the PFTP office provides demonstration of home-scale organic food production, with an emphasis on fruit trees and other edible perennials. Food produced goes to neighbors in need through a local food bank, and is occasionally used for PFTP workshops. The community food forest is located at PFTP headquarters on the corner of NE 19th Avenue and NE Killingsworth Street. If you are interested in helping maintain this space, please contact us to join the crew of dedicated garden team members!