volunteers needed, Philadelphia Orchard Project

Posted by on October 01, 2012

Please join us for another exciting season of community orchard planting!  See below for our current fall schedule and sign up to help us create a beautiful and bountiful city for all.

We invite you to participate in this season’s POP events, working alongside volunteers from our community partners to plant and maintain orchards all over the city. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome. These events often involve digging, planting, and spreading compost and mulch, so expect to get dirty. We can’t guarantee tools for all; if you bring your own, it is advisable to write your name on them. Snacks and beverages to share are also welcome.

Orchard events can generally be expected to last between 2 and 4 hours (smaller events are designated with an *asterisk).  We recommend that you check your email the morning of an event to confirm whether it will be postponed to the raindate.

NOTE: If you intend to volunteer at an event, please RSVP via our website (http://www.phillyorchards.org). By clicking on an event description, you can see how many people have signed up and where your help is most needed!

Please contact [email protected] for more information on a particular event.

Fall 2012 Event Schedule

CAROUSEL ORCHARD PLANTING
Saturday, October 6 @ 10am
Carousel House, Ave of the Republic & Belmont Ave, West Fairmount Park
-Lend a hand to Teens 4 Good in expanding their new orchard at the Carousel House Farm in West Fairmount Park. We’ll be spreading mulch and planting fruit trees, berry bushes, and a pollinator garden!
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
http://www.phillyorchards.org/volunteer/schedule

FAIRHILL SCHOOL ORCHARD PLANTING
Wednesday, October 17 @ 3:30pm
Fairhill School, 2850 N. 6th St, North Philly
-Help student and staff of Fairhill School in planting a new container garden orchard in their schoolyard. A partnership between the Food Trust, Fairhill, and POP.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
http://www.phillyorchards.org/volunteer/schedule

BARTRAM’S ORCHARD PLANTING
Saturday, October 20 @ 10am
Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd, West Philadelphia
Help expand what is already the largest orchard in Philadelphia! We’ll be planting another 25 or so trees, including many native fruits and nuts. A partnership between Bartram’s, UNI, PHS, Parks & Rec, and POP.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
http://www.phillyorchards.org/volunteer/schedule
RAINDATE: Sunday, October 21 @ 1pm.

PHILADELPHIA ORCHARD DAY
Saturday, October 27
Save the date for the second annual Philadelphia Orchard Day! This city wide event will feature harvest festivals, plantings, work days, fruit tastings and other events at orchard sites across the city. Philadelphia Orchard Day is intended to highlight the wonderful work of our community partners and the celebrate the fantastic fruit growing in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. The day will include an Apple Festival at Woodford Orchard, planting and fruit tasting at Grumblethorpe, and other sites and details to be announced soon.

OVERBROOK ORCHARD PLANTING
Saturday, November 3 @ 1pm
Overbrook Environmental Education Center, 6401 Lancaster Ave, West Philly
Join us in transforming the new Overbrook Envirmonmental Education Center Orchard into a food forest with underplantings of perennials and groundcovers. Check out what this dynamic neighborhood organization is doing with formerly vacant land and buildings! A partnership between POP, JASTECH, and the Master Gardeners.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
http://www.phillyorchards.org/volunteer/schedule
RAINDATE: Sunday, November 4 @ 1pm.

USLA ORCHARD PLANTING
Wednesday, November 7 @ 3pm
Emily St and S. 8th St, South Philly
Help out in expanding our South Philly orchard neighborhood in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Leadership Academy and Teens 4 Good.  More fruit trees, berry bushes, and pollinator gardens!
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
http://www.phillyorchards.org/volunteer/schedule
RAINDATE: Thursday, November 8 @ 3pm.

LIGHTHOUSE ORCHARD PLANTING
Saturday, November 10 @ 10am
Lighthouse Field, 145 W. Erie Ave, North Philly
Help Teens 4 Good in preparing and planting this brand new orchard site at their Lighthouse Farm in North Philly. New fruit trees, berry bushes, and a pollinator garden will enhance this vital youth agricultural entrepreneurship program.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
http://www.phillyorchards.org/volunteer/schedule
RAINDATE: Sunday, November 11 @ 1pm.

HUNTING PARK ORCHARD PLANTING
Saturday, November 17 @ 10am
Hunting Park Community Garden, East of Hunting Park Ave & W. Bristol St, North Philly
Lend a hand with planting the first fruit trees at this revitalized North Philly park! A partnership between the Hunting Park Community Garden, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Parks & Rec, and POP.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
http://www.phillyorchards.org/volunteer/schedule
RAINDATE: Sunday, November 18 @ 1pm.