Philadelphia Orchard Project

POP works with community-based groups and volunteers to plan and plant orchards filled with useful and edible plants. POP provides orchard design assistance, plant materials, and training in orchard care. Community organizations own, maintain, and harvest the orchards, expanding community-based food production, environmental benefits, and opportunities for nature education. Orchards are planted in formerly vacant lots, community gardens, schoolyards, and other spaces, primarily in low-wealth neighborhoods where people have limited access to fresh fruit.

Please join POP in building a more beautiful and bountiful city for all!

Bartram's planting 2

Learn more about POP’s work via our recent feature video on WHYY TV!

Health Benefits of Orchard Fruits

As you might already know, POP’s community orchards are beneficial in a number of ways, providing: Beautiful neighborhood green spaces that provide opportunities for community gathering and engagement; A wide range of environmental benefits including providing pollinator habitats, sequestering carbon, and reducing stormwater runoff; Opportunities for micro-enterprise and hands-on food system and nature education; A … Continue reading Health Benefits of Orchard Fruits

Puckery, Perfect, or Preserved: Exploring Persimmons Fresh & Dried – MS/HS Lesson (PDF Download)

It is no wonder that persimmon’s Latin genus name “Diospyros” translates as “food of the gods” for the fruit’s divine, sweet flavor. The fall-ripening fruit of persimmon trees are rich and jammy and its honeyed flavor can be exquisitely sweet on the palette when given the proper ripening time on or off the tree — and especially … Continue reading Puckery, Perfect, or Preserved: Exploring Persimmons Fresh & Dried – MS/HS Lesson (PDF Download)

Orchard Partner Stories: a look back at 2018

Every year we ask our orchard partners to reflect on the season and to share stories with us about what the orchard provides for their community. Below are some of our favorite excerpts from 2018 celebrating the beauty, abundance, and power of city orchards to serve as an engaging place of discovery and connection. Norris … Continue reading Orchard Partner Stories: a look back at 2018

DIY Holiday Gift Ideas: Herbal Sachets, Closet Hanger Wreaths, Apple Pomanders

DIY Holiday Gift Ideas Stop right there! Before you run out to the store this holiday season, consider utilizing the resources you have around you. DIY gifts are not only thoughtful and well received, but also an enjoyable and creative process! … Continue reading DIY Holiday Gift Ideas: Herbal Sachets, Closet Hanger Wreaths, Apple Pomanders

10th Annual East Park Apple Festival

This year’s 10th annual East Park Apple Festival included a beautiful clear sky, perfect Fall weather, plenty of community involvement, and LOTS of apples. The festival, which has been held at historic Woodford Mansion every October since 2009, is a collaboration between Woodford, the East Park Revitalization Alliance (EPRA), and the Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP). … Continue reading 10th Annual East Park Apple Festival

PLANT SPOTLIGHT: Persimmon (Diospyros)

PERSIMMON TREE FACTS Asian Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is native to China, where it has been cultivated for centuries. Korea and Japan have also been centers of its cultivation, and it was introduced to California in the mid 1800’s. Asian Persimmons usually grow between 13-20 ft tall and wide and are self-fertile. At our community orchards, … Continue reading PLANT SPOTLIGHT: Persimmon (Diospyros)

Honoring Roseann McLaughlin and GrowAbility Honeybee Sensory Lesson Book (PDF Download)

It’s with deep sadness that we at the Philadelphia Orchard Project offer our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and community of Roseann McLaughlin of Overbrook School for the Blind, who passed November 2, 2018 in a tragic house fire. Roseann was the enthusiastic and loving cornerstone of the school’s Farm-To-Table program begun in 2013, … Continue reading Honoring Roseann McLaughlin and GrowAbility Honeybee Sensory Lesson Book (PDF Download)

PLANT SPOTLIGHT: Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) Tree Facts Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra) is a perennial, stone fruit tree native to Eastern North America, commonly found in riparian zones (area between water and land). Technically the walnut produces a fruit called a “drupe” and is not a true nut! The drupes are harvested in the fall, dehulled and … Continue reading PLANT SPOTLIGHT: Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Getting Funky with Fermentation – MS/HS Lesson (PDF Download)

If there’s one thing we continually learn in offering our School Orchard Program it’s that culinary classes are always a hit with students and teachers alike! They’re hands-on and sensory-rich, foster team-work, collaboration, and creative thinking, and offer educators a breadth of content integration possibilities. Take for instance a recent summertime lesson on fermentation we offered … Continue reading Getting Funky with Fermentation – MS/HS Lesson (PDF Download)

POP 2018 Summer Newsletter

2018 has been an exciting year so far for the Philadelphia Orchard Project and we thank each and every one of you for supporting us in our mission to create a more beautiful, bountiful Philadelphia. HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR 2018 SPRING SEASON -Planted our 1,239th fruit tree and supported our 61st community orchard site -Involved over 700 volunteers … Continue reading POP 2018 Summer Newsletter

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