Partnership is at the heart of what we do. At the end of the day, we work to nurture relationships between people and nature.
This year, we welcomed two new orchards into the POP family: CommUnity Garden at the Creek and Sanctuary Farm. It’s a family, because there’s no expiry date on our partnerships, and we hope that the fruits of these relationships will provide for generations.
Every fall we ask our partners to reflect on the season, to share stories about what their orchard means to the community. Read below to get a small glimpse into the magic moments happening all over the city.

“Our orchard is young so is not yet producing much in terms of harvest but neighbors have been very eagerly waiting and watching for fruit to grow. The adults and especially children are filled with wonder when they see some pear or persimmon fruit growing on the trees. The elderberry and figs have been our most producing trees at this time, in addition to the raspberries which are popular among all the visitors. A few neighbors were especially eager in learning about the health benefits of elderberry and learning how to use them for immunity protection during the colder months.” — Sunni Bell, Fernhill Food Forest
“A family was walking by with their kids and I invited them to share in the bounty of the orchard. The kids never ate raspberries from the bush before. The sense of wonder was palpable.” — Anastasia Alexandrin, Pastorius Community Gardens

“The Fig harvest was amazing and we made about 90 small jars of Fig jam for the seniors. Many of them came to Philly from the South and the majority really were excited to get the jam on seniors saints day – it brought back a lot of memories for many.” — Mecky Pohlschroder, Monumental Baptist Church
“Our fruit was distributed to neighborhoods from South Philadelphia to East Poplar, to North Philly, and Germantown… This was a valuable layer in our journey to building more community ties and supporting food access in our access-challenged city.” — Bryce Rowe, FNC Community Learning Farm at 8th & Poplar
“I find great serenity in my time working in the orchard, it’s probably more important to me than my actual harvest. I rent, and have no meaningful outdoor space, so the orchard provides a connection to the land and the neighborhood in a tangible way, and I see not only wildlife, but also get to talk to neighbors walking by as I do orchard maintenance and talk to them about what I’m doing and what we’re growing.” — St Bernard Community Garden

“Tito” Neury Caba of Historic Fair Hill:
“The orchard serves as a vital community hub, offering both educational workshops and access to fresh produce in a food desert… Urban Creators, the Church of Latter-day Saints, and the Village of Arts and Humanities recently came together on October 25th in a powerful demonstration of community collaboration, planting 150 herbaceous plants and 7 fruit trees in the Fair Hill Orchard.
This collective effort not only enhances the orchard’s beauty and diversity but also strengthens the community’s bond, providing sustainable resources for future generations. By working together, we are making a lasting impact on both the environment and the lives of those in a food-insecure neighborhood.”

“I was able to take a second grade class from the local elementary to the garden three times over the last year to learn about compost, seed saving, and insects. It was wonderful to see them outside digging in the dirt and learning about the infinite potential in a seed. “I’m rich with seeds,” I heard one kid yell as he pocketed his envelope full of amaranth.” (Prefers not to be named)
“When talking to the residents that live next to the orchard, I found so many people use the orchard as a place of respite, to walk their dog, or to be in an area with trees, grass, and other plants.” — Shane Mosley, Pearl St. Garden
“We were able to introduce several community members to the pawpaw fruit. People liked the creamy texture of this fruit and discussed different ways to use the pawpaw in their meals.” — Mill Creek Urban Farm

SUPPORT US! If you found this entry useful, informative, or inspiring, please consider a donation of any size to help POP in planting and supporting community orchards in Philadelphia: phillyorchards.org/donate.