City Fruit is a Seattle non profit that promotes the cultivation of urban fruit to build strong
communities. They saw the abundance of fruit trees in the city, and how little of the fruit was consumed. They have done great work to solve that problem. Last year they harvested 34,000 pounds of fruit with 19,000 of it going meal programs and food banks. One tree in Wallyhood’s own Meridian Park generated 490 pounds of fruit.
To do that great work, they need volunteers. There are a few upcoming events in the neighborhood where you can give a little time and learn a little more about our urban fruit trees:
Today, Sunday June 3rd – 11 am – Meridian Park (4898 Meridian Ave N) – Help net the apple trees in the park
Tuesday, June 5th, 6pm – 8:30pm – John Stanford School (4057 5th Ave NE ) – Help repair the apple nets
They request RSVPs for events at the above links.
Thanks for the City Fruit shout out, Ben! City Fruit manages three public orchards in the Wallingford area: Meridian Playground, Burke-Gilman Trail (between the University Bridge and Northlake Place/Northlake Way) and the U District P-Patch east planting strip. We rely heavily on volunteers, often from corporate groups and schools, but also a core group of neighborhood volunteers who show up for every kind of task, year round, from pruning, weeding, watering, and mulching to organic pest control scientific research. Email me if you want to be part of the Wallingford neighborhood volunteer effort: [email protected]
I also have to mention that 2017 was not a good year for harvest, due to spring weather conditions. In 2016 City Fruit harvested 55,000 pounds of fruit, 10,000 of that from public orchards. 30,000 pounds were donated to food banks and shelters in 2016.