During my stay at Pollinaria I was able to experience several activities related to the implementation of an orchard, as Gaetano is the most amazing host! Gaetano spoke of his fruit trees at Pollinaria as just a tiny orchard, as his main crops are wheat, vineyards and olive groves. But then I saw it and it is way beyond small! In the end it's all about scale, for a city orchard it would be huge, for a rural agricultural farm it's a small thing.
The apple trees were planted with grafts from a botanical garden of ancient heirloom varieties that exists close by in the mountain, at the Maiella National Park. So Pollinaria is a sort of wonderful satellite of the botanical garden.
The apple trees were planted with grafts from a botanical garden of ancient heirloom varieties that exists close by in the mountain, at the Maiella National Park. So Pollinaria is a sort of wonderful satellite of the botanical garden.
What sort of experience should Pick Your (city) Fruit convey? That of an orchard or that of a garden with fruit? This is important to decide, as trees in a certain manner, with the maximum density of plantation (as in a "real" orchard) can enhance the experience of being in an orchard, which, for most urbanites, is not so common. It can be a more powerful experience than to have a beautiful garden that has fruit trees in it.
Then we spoke about heirloom varieties and the preservation of traditional cultivars. How wonderful is this orchard with dozens of different varieties of apples, all blossoming and maturing at different times! How wonderful would it be to replicate such diversity in Lisbon!
Then I was able to witness and participate in the plantation of Pollinaria's new olive grove. It was a major event, as the last one that was planted was over 20 years ago. It was a great learning experience, as the soil had to be prepared, measured, and a system figured out, so that it would be aligned with the old grove.
Then we spoke about heirloom varieties and the preservation of traditional cultivars. How wonderful is this orchard with dozens of different varieties of apples, all blossoming and maturing at different times! How wonderful would it be to replicate such diversity in Lisbon!
Then I was able to witness and participate in the plantation of Pollinaria's new olive grove. It was a major event, as the last one that was planted was over 20 years ago. It was a great learning experience, as the soil had to be prepared, measured, and a system figured out, so that it would be aligned with the old grove.
It took the team a whole morning to mark the new field. It was hard work, as one thing is to make regular precise marks on a drawing, quite another to do it on the ground...
Finally the grid was done and all the sticks on their spots, so planting could begin. I had the honor of planting the first olive tree! (which had to be replanted inches aside, as it was slightly off the line of the old grove)
The first Olive tree in the new grove! And then dozens of young olive trees extending the old grove.
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