The Urban Greening Stewardship Project

Why did you choose to work with the Philadelphia Orchard Project, specifically?  Well, because they more go into the urban areas. I like that they are in the urban areas and then the orchards. I think a lot of people do vegetable gardens which are fabulous, but this is something that is just ongoing and growing and growing and trees are going to get bigger and just develop and make more fruit every year, so I think being in the urban area is awesome.  Why do you think it’s important for people to volunteer and get involved with organizations like POP? I think it makes the people more accountable. You know, if you get out there and volunteer, you’re less likely, I hope, to litter. But you are also more likely to eat the good fruits and vegetables. And I think, too, I know for myself and when my kids were little, we joined a co-op so they could see where the stuff was grown. We go into the grocery store, but we don’t really understand what kind of tree it comes off o...

             For this volunteering event, the Philadelphia Orchard Project, POP, met up at the garden area in Penn Park at 11. POP assisted in designing and planting an extensive food forest orchard at the southern end of Penn Park on campus at the University of Pennsylvania. The weather for this event was beautiful and added to making the work day better. Once again, the specific meeting spot was slightly hard to find on Penn’s campus, but I knew I was in the right place once I recognized the program leaders. As I approached the sections of vegetation, I noticed a plethora of different plants growing. I got closer to these areas and noticed plaques with plant names and information on them. I tried to record as many labels as I saw: Beebalm, Anise Hyssop, Fennel, Yarrow, Lemon Balm, Sweet Cherry, Sorrel, Catmint, Elderberry, Quince, Dwarf Peppermint, Asian Pear, Purple Coneflower, Golden Star, Black-Eyed Susan, Creeping...

With the Philadelphia Orchard Project, POP, I worked at Bartram’s Garden to maintain the land. Bartram’s Garden is a 45-acre National Historic Landmark, located in West Philadelphia, operated by the John Bartram Association in cooperation with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. Bartram’s Gardens is this city’s most diverse community orchard with over 130 fruit and nut trees. When I first arrived at the park, at 9:30, I had to walk down a long road and down a hill to meet with the other event participants. The walk was so pretty and scenic, so I gained excitement to be in this beautiful park for the morning. I eventually reached the bottom of the hill and signed in at the table. Next, we were divided based on the work that needed to be done and were given jobs in the Bartram’s Gardens orchards. I grabbed a pair of gloves and pruners, and I got to work. In the beginning of my volunteering experience, I had the job of collecting sticks on the ground around the cherry blossom trees. Alo...