New Orchard at JJSE!

Our beautiful new orchard before being covered with mulch, with Juan and Rico in the background

Thanks to Rico Montenegro and The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation we now have a full on orchard with multiple varieties of pear, apple, plum, orange, lemon and lime trees at JJSE. Over a hundred students came out to help in our inaugural planting. With their help we were able to dig holes for 31 trees, plant them, and cover them with mulch (wood chips). We have placed mulch along the two rows of trees to make a little pathway since the planting with our garden class at JJSE and the trees our now looking great. These trees are an investment in JJSE’s future and in a few years, with lots of water, love, and patience, we will be feasting, in a very literal sense, on the succulent fruits of our labor. We’re expecting our first harvest in 2015, so stay in touch.

We invite you to come see the new orchard and visit the existing garden at JJSE. Help yourself to some of the harvest greens (lots of chard and kale), speak with one of our staff or interns (at the garden Tuesdays and Thursdays), and meet the resident chickens, Frosty and Juanita (available year round). Hope to see you soon.

The orchard after mulching