Join the Burke-Gilman Trail Urban Orchard Stewards 
on Sunday from noon to 3 pm at their 2nd Annual Cider Pressing event. The Orchard Stewards take care of 23 public fruit trees on the Trail between the University Bridge and just west of Gasworks Park.
The one pear and 22 apple trees are thriving after many work parties this past year. In snow, rain, and even sun, volunteers removed blackberries, Scotch Broom, cherry laurel and English Ivy, spread wood chips and Zoo Doo Bedspread, pruned, thinned, and watered. This year nearly all of the cider apples were harvested from trees on the Burke-Gilman Trail. (Actual photo of one of our trees last month.)
During the event, Community Fruit Tree Harvest folks from Lettuce Link will also be on hand to answer questions about their backyard fruit harvest program.
But can you have a harvest celebration without dance? Nay, Wallingford’s own Sound & Fury Morris and Sword will get the party started. Here’s your chance to turn a crank and cut a rug!
So stroll, ride, or skate this Sunday to the Seattle Parks tents on the Burke-Gilman Trail, just west of I-5, south of the intersection of NE Pacific Street and lower NE 40th Street.
Like the Stewards on Facebook: facebook.com/BurkeGilmanTrailUrbanOrchardStewards
cityfruit.org/stewards
seattleorchardstewards.tumblr.com
The Morris dancers will be performing at 1 pm.
I am 73. I grew up on a boat on Portage Bay, l941 to 1950. At the time only a huge golf course existed where the med/dental buildings are now. A railroad train ran along the Burke Gilman Route. My guess is that as a boy I saw many of the apple trees now being cared for.
A common question about these trees is “How did a fruit tree end up here?” Many of the trees are old heritage varieties (Hawkeye Delicious, Common Delicious, Blue Pearmain, Ben Davis) and others are either the results of a tossed apple core or grafted trees that reverted to rootstock. It would be fun to research the history of these trees.