One of the key moments of this project is to produce a design to deliver to the municipality. We wanted to organize a meeting under the trees with several different projects to talk about community building, food security, appropriation of the public space and other topics that speak loud to us. But as we were recently invited to be part of such a gathering, it looked more promising to invite people for a picnic and share ideas on the design of the orchard.
There was a facebook event, invitations sent, posters put up... Then sunday came and...it was raining cats and dogs! Many people called asking if we were canceling, but we decided to go on and stick to the plan. Just before the start of the gathering it was pouring rain, but then it became a beautiful afternoon. A few brave people showed up and we had a vibrant discussion on issues as managing the orchard, negotiating budget with the municipality and on the activities that should be included in the educational part of the project in order for a community to be built.
Then someone suggested the plantation of tropical fruits like bananas or passion fruits, so a discussion started on whether the orchard should stick to regional fruits and the preservation of heirlooms, or if we could include a section with foreign fruits. There was no final decision as a consensus wasn't reached. We decided to bring the issue up at the 2nd meeting "Que Pomar Queremos?" (What for Orchard do we Want?)
So, a week later, we gathered again under the trees to think together. Firstly, we learnt that more of the existing trees are edible. We had chosen this particular spot of the park because it had old pear trees (7 pear trees!), we hadn't noticed an old walnut on the corner until the previous meeting (probably because it was very damaged and old, but now, full of young nuts and bright green leaves it was unimaginable not to notice it!). However, we didn't know that the fruits of the Lódão (Celtis australis L., or nettle tree) are edible, so, besides pears and walnuts, our future orchard already has honeyberries!
We could also identify chicory in the meadow, alongside a few bushes of rosemary and lavender. We had a stroll around the park to identify more trees and taste the (now mature) prunes and pears. We made a list of the fruits we want to plant, and which species should be planted as a fence (to draw the boundaries of the orchard, both to identify it within the park, and for protection - mostly to protect young trees from dogs running loose).
Some people drew ideas on how the orchard should look like, others gave verbal suggestions and we all spent a great afternoon in the orchard to be, with plans to spread the orchard into other areas of the city in the future (but first we have to set this one going!)
Next step: identify some of the trees that are still unidentified and integrate the suggestions of this meeting on the preliminary design.
We could also identify chicory in the meadow, alongside a few bushes of rosemary and lavender. We had a stroll around the park to identify more trees and taste the (now mature) prunes and pears. We made a list of the fruits we want to plant, and which species should be planted as a fence (to draw the boundaries of the orchard, both to identify it within the park, and for protection - mostly to protect young trees from dogs running loose).
Some people drew ideas on how the orchard should look like, others gave verbal suggestions and we all spent a great afternoon in the orchard to be, with plans to spread the orchard into other areas of the city in the future (but first we have to set this one going!)
Next step: identify some of the trees that are still unidentified and integrate the suggestions of this meeting on the preliminary design.
A fruit bounty!
Remember the young fruits we found in the beginning of Spring we were uncertain as to whether they were wild or edible? At the time we guessed they were cherry plums, but after all they are delicious sweet prunes of an old variety. The association Colher para Semear ("harvest to sow" an association for the preservation of heirlooms) will work with us in order to help us identify this particular variety. We will then collect some cuttings to graft in young rootstocks in order to propagate this fruit within the nurseries that keep traditional fruits (and among all the urban orchardists we hope to awaken!)