Community Orchard Stewards
Growing a Fruitful Future Together
Nogojiwanong/Peterborough’s Community Orchards and Food Forests
In the spring and fall of 2022, volunteers and staff from Nourish, GreenUP, and the City of Peterborough planted 65 fruit trees along with some berry bushes and perennials at public parks and community gardens across Nogojiwanong/Peterborough.
Nogojiwanong/Peterborough has 13 mini community orchards which GreenUP is excited to coordinate volunteer care for in 2025 and beyond!
Who are we?
The Peterborough Community Orchard Stewards is a group of volunteer community members supported by GreenUP and Nourish who have worked together to plan, plant and maintain a series of 13 mini-orchards and food forests in public spaces across Peterborough.
The Peterborough Community Orchard Stewards work collectively to care for fruit trees and shrubs planted in 8 public parks and community gardens in Peterborough.
Our work helps to:
-
- Promote biodiversity in parks
- Encourage a diversity of programs in parks
- Support community belonging and welcoming public spaces
- Connect people to food sources.
Our activities include, but are not limited to:
-
- Planting and tending fruit trees, shrubs and other food forest complimentary species
- Learning about how to care for these plants and sharing our learning with the broader community
- supporting other urban fruit growers and promoting food growing activities in public spaces
When abundant harvests are ready to be reaped, we share them among the community. We help build awareness about the benefits of fruit trees, educate residents on proper fruit tree care, and lay the groundwork for a greener future.
What We Do
Food forests and orchards are interactive spaces. Trees and shrubs in a food forest or orchard respond positively to care such as watering, feeding, pruning and picking. We look forward to building relationships with neighbours in Peterborough as we partake in the joyful tasks of tending to the fruit.
Most of the mini community orchards are located in public parks. A few are on church properties, in association with existing community gardens. One is at a retirement home.
Each mini orchard or food forest is stewarded by a small neighbourhood-based stewardship team. These stewards are supported in their undertaking by organizations such as Nourish, GreenUP and the City of Peterborough, as well as by tapping into a wider group of knowledgeable and enthusiastic fruit growers + volunteers in the community.
Everyone is welcome to get involved.
If you are interested in learning more about a specific location, we’d be happy to put you in touch with the lead stewards at that location.
Find the Fruit!
Keith Wightman Park
845 Chamberlain St, Peterborough, ON K9J 4M6
Mapleridge Park
1929 Mapleridge Dr, Peterborough, ON K9K 1R1
Roland Glover Park
Leahys Ln, Peterborough, ON K9H 2H1
Dominion Park
342 Dominion Crescent, Peterborough, ON K9H 5H1
Talwood Community Garden
Located in public park situated behind 1001 Talwood Dr.
Stewart St. Community Garden
216 Stewart St, Peterborough, ON K9J 3M7
King Edward Community Garden
455 George St S, Peterborough, ON K9J 3E4
Knights of Columbus
5 Park St N, Peterborough, ON K9J 4L3
Calvary Community Garden
NOTE: trees here were planted years ago, not through GreenUP/Nourish initiative
Urban Farm on Highland Rd.
463 Highland Rd, Peterborough, ON K9H 5J8
Reid/ Rubidge Park along Jackson Creek
501 Rubidge St, Peterborough, ON K9H 4E8
St. Luke’s Community Garden
566 Armour Rd, Peterborough, ON K9H 1Z1
Applewood Retirement Home
NOTE: this fruit forest is not for public access
1500 Lansdowne St W, Peterborough, ON K9J 2A2
Get Involved and Connect with Other Growers
The trees need lots of care and it is fun work to do! You could:
- Attend stewardship days and help with pruning, pest control, mulching, repairs, trellis building, harvesting etc.
- Join a neighbourhood stewardship team to help with regular watering of the food forests
Follow GreenUP on social media to learn about volunteer opportunities during our orchards stewardship days, or connect with our Volunteer Program Coordinator anytime.
Program Contact Information
Email Christina Balint, Volunteer Program Coordinator (GreenUP)
Community members have been exploring opportunities for community orchards and food forests for over 10 years. We’d like to acknowledge funding from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough and United Way that helped get this project into the ground. Of course, all this has also been made possible through dedicated work by many who have championed these ideas over the years.
Partners
City of Peterborough
The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough
Nourish
United Way
The City of Peterborough supports GreenUP through an annual Community Service Grant. This funding supports many of our programs and services which positively impact Peterborough residents each day.
Nourish is all about food. Nourish is a collaborative partnership between GreenUP, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, and Peterborough Public Health. Nourish cultivates health, builds community, and promotes fairness through innovative programs dedicated to eating, cooking, growing, and advocating for good food.
The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough is the vital link between caring community members and local causes that matter. We foster philanthropy by pooling endowed and special funds, while our grants to registered charities enhance the quality of life for our citizens.