Grid Philly - April 2009 - (Page 24) absorbing carbon emissions, filtering water naturally, cleaning the air, absorbing noise and reducing storm water runoff. And for every vacant lot that has been turned into an orchard or community garden, these neighborhoods become more livable and beautiful, and allow neighbors to work together to learn skills such as planting, composting, food processing and tending. This year, POP received a small grant to develop a nursery in Philadelphia that will produce food which will be shared with needy families. With spring being the organization’s busiest season for planting, POP is already in the midst of planting new orchards abundant with berry and nut bushes, as well as pear, peach and cherry trees. Communities also harvest hazelnuts, blackberries, blueberries, currants and figs. “We work with groups to determine what trees and berry bushes they would like most in the community,” says Vitiello, who notes that many orchards are oriented toward specific ethnic groups. They plant Asian pear trees and persimmon, as well as fruits used in Puerto Rican and African cuisines. POP also researches which bushes and trees will attract the most beneficial insects, and which are most susceptible to disease. “We rarely plant apple trees,” says Vitiello, because of the difficulty in keeping them disease-free. Last year, POP partnered with the Mural Arts Project and PlaySpace to create an orchard at Hartranft Elementary School on West Cumberland Street in North Philadelphia. The greening project, which included the de-paving 76 of a portion of the school’s parking lot, was part of the elementary school’s science and environmental education program. The students and community members now sustain the orchard and green space themselves, which reclaims two abandoned lots in the process. “What has been significant,” says Shari Hersh, director of the Mural Art Project’s art education initiative Mural Corps, “is the amount of people coming together for this project.” Hersh created a blog about the ongoing experience (muralartstylerhartranft.blogspot.com) illustrating the community’s efforts, art projects and orchard planting. POP was also invited to create a display orchard at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. last year. Called One Planet: Ours the permaculture orchard was designed to showcase sustainable strategies for the 22nd century, according to POP. When the exhibition closed in the fall of 2008, the plants and trees were all uprooted and replanted in Philadelphia. Even though POP’s oldest orchard in Philly has existed for just over eighteen months, according to Forsyth, “We already see the effects. It’s a positive thing to see people in the community get together in their own neighborhoods.” He predicts there will be an even more significant need for these orchards as more people are impacted by the distressing economy. “But even before the economic crisis, this was a way to address the disparity in food access,” he concludes. “The local food movement was something that basically had no relevance to people furthest down the income level scale. But POP has given these people access to fresh and healthy food.” ■ + Even before the economic crisis, this was a way to address the disparity in food access. 1 CH CO EL TE TT MA NH N 95 BRO AD AM • martin luther King high School Farm (West Oak lane) • Nicetown cdc orchard (Nicetown) • Fair hill Burial ground (North philadelphia) Find an Orchard Near You ALLE L E H IG GHEN H Y • potter Thomas Elementary School orchard (North philadelphia) • cambria orchard (Kensington) • hartranft Elementary School orchard (North philadelphia) LA G IR A R D 676 • Woodford orchard (Fairmount park) • grupos motivos orchard (Norris Square) NC AS TE R CH ES TN UT • Francisville orchard (Francisville) • Teens 4 good orchard (poplar) B A LT IM ORE WA SH ING TO 76 N • Secret garden at greenfield Elementary School (Center City) • United communities orchard (South philadelphia) • chester Avenue orchard (Squirrel Hill) • New Africa orchard (West philadelphia) 95 OR EG ON 24 g r i d p h i l ly. c o m ap ri l 2009 http://muralartstylerhartranft.blogspot.com http://www.gridphilly.com
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