Category: POPharvests
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)
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)
Shrubs with Shrubs: Incorporating Underutilized Shrubs into Your Garden, and Your Cocktails
Consider this, in part, a preview to POPCORE3: Plants & Fungi We Love and What To Do With Them on March 22nd, part of our Community Orchard Resilience Education series. We hope you’ll join us to learn new ways to craft from and celebrate your orchard plantings. Shrub: a small to medium-sized woody plant Shrub: a cocktail or soft … Continue reading Shrubs with Shrubs: Incorporating Underutilized Shrubs into Your Garden, and Your Cocktails
POP History 2016 & Volunteer Highlight: Angelina Conti
“That’s what keeps me coming back: the Bartram Orchard and Sankofa Farm offer beauty, nourishment, self-determination and community now, but they also move thoughtfully and intentionally towards an uncertain future.” -Angelina Conti, 2016 Golden Persimmon Volunteer In honor of the Philadelphia Orchard Project’s 10th anniversary in 2017, we’re looking back at a different year in … Continue reading POP History 2016 & Volunteer Highlight: Angelina Conti
POP History 2014 & Volunteer Highlight: Ryan Kuck
“This is the power of community orchards. They inspire, they lift spirits, they demonstrate resiliency, and they bring people together around that greatest of common denominators – food. ” -Ryan Kuck, 2014 Golden Persimmon Volunteer In honor of the Philadelphia Orchard Project’s 10th anniversary in 2017, we’re looking back at a different year in our history every … Continue reading POP History 2014 & Volunteer Highlight: Ryan Kuck
Getting Creative with Fall Foraging: Crabapples and Gingko Nuts and Leaves
If you’ve walked around the streets of Philadelphia in the fall, you’ve likely seen the gorgeous foliage and decor of crabapple and gingko trees. Although these trees are popular in urban landscapes and beyond, they are oft-overlooked as sources of foraged food. During this fall season, we encourage you to get creative and harvest these … Continue reading Getting Creative with Fall Foraging: Crabapples and Gingko Nuts and Leaves
Recapping Juneberry Joy 2017!
After our Juneberry Joy jubilee, we are jumping for joy! An annual tradition in its second year, Juneberry Joy is an exciting collaboration between the Philadelphia Orchard Project, volunteers, and food artisans across the city. Each year, our POP volunteers help us harvest juneberries (also known as serviceberries or saskatoons) from the many juneberry trees polka-dotting … Continue reading Recapping Juneberry Joy 2017!
Plant Spotlight: The Plucky Mulberry (Morus)
Written by 2016 POP Intern, Lucia Kearney. Despite their reputation as a weed tree, many people in both urban and rural environments have very fond childhood memories of mulberries! My own past is filled deliciously with mulberries. When I was a kid, my parents worked in Manayunk. On days when there was no school, I’d go to … Continue reading Plant Spotlight: The Plucky Mulberry (Morus)
Plant Spotlight: The Joyful Juneberry (Amelanchier spp)
By 2016 POP Intern, Lucia Kearney. It’s June, and that means a piece of good news for us all: the juneberries are ripening! While this is making some of us leap up and down doing happy dances, I’m sure it’s also making some ask, “What the heck’s a juneberry?!” Great question. Read all about them … Continue reading Plant Spotlight: The Joyful Juneberry (Amelanchier spp)
