Looking back on 2024, it was clearly a wonderful year for Peterborough’s community orchards, as lovingly cared for local edible infrastructure continued to flourish.
In 2022, GreenUP worked with Nourish, the City of Peterborough, and dozens of volunteers to plant 65 fruit trees and berry bushes in public parks and community centres throughout Peterborough. These plantings helped an entire network of community orchards take root.
Since then, and through 2025 and beyond, the majority of these fruit trees have been and will continue to be stewarded by a keen group of volunteers called the Peterborough Community Orchard Stewards, with the rest cared for as part of community gardens.
It takes dedication and vision to grow an orchard. Fruit trees are known to be susceptible to disease or pests, and good care is required for them to bear fruit. Investing capacity now will enable these orchards to thrive for generations to come. Last year alone, volunteers gave close to 230 hours of their time to caring for Peterborough community orchards.
At a recent planning meeting, stewards shared some of the reasons they enjoy looking after the trees. For those who are learning, having trees they can practice their skills on is a valuable opportunity.
“Being part of this group has inspired me to begin planting an orchard on land owned by my congregation in Donwood,” says volunteer Lynn Jondreville. “My hope is that it will encourage learning about fruit growing in the neighbourhood, and spur local community connections.”
For others, it’s just the right amount of physical activity — not as much as being responsible for a community garden plot, but still providing a chance to grow food. One steward shared that she really likes the chore of watering and the opportunity to get to know each tree and learn its character.
Looking after fruit trees offers a connection to each season. In the late winter, volunteers prune the trees. In the spring, they feed the trees and control for pests. Over the summer months, they water and watch for pests and disease, and the fall is time to harvest and celebrate.
“I love this opportunity to connect with others who are learning about fruit tree care and (to) exchange ideas,” says steward Lorraine Villeneuve.
GreenUP is grateful for the energy, effort, and enthusiasm volunteers bring to this project, and for the opportunity to offer this programming in neighbourhood parks.
Park spaces hold huge opportunity to promote biodiversity, increase access to local food, and encourage healthy activity and social connection here in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough. Whether heading out to walk a dog, play at a playground, skate on a public rink, or tend to a community garden, local parks offer myriad ways to enhance well-being.
Some Peterborough Community Orchard Stewards highlights from 2024 are listed below.
- Dominion Park is home to three apple trees and a large berry patch that is getting established. Additionally, stewards planted two locally-raised pawpaw trees.
- Roland Glover Park boasts nine apple trees, one pear tree, and a newly-planted cherry tree. These young trees complement a large old crab apple. An exciting experiment is also taking place: in November, stewards seeded a 60-square-metre area with pollinator garden seed mix.
- Keith Wightman Park had a special visit from the Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough’s Resilient Roots program to help with the spring stewardship day. Volunteers fed trees with compost, spread new mulch rings around the trees to help keep moisture in the soil, watered the trees, and planted raspberry canes.
- At Maple Ridge Park, Talwood Community Garden stewards planted more apple trees and, at Reid/McDonnel Park, the perennial garden patch was expanded and enhanced with medicinal plants included an elderberry. This location is also home to a hardy kiwi variety growing along the fence.
- Stewards also led the fruit tree planting that took place at Trinity Community Centre in partnership with One City Peterborough. This coming spring, they will teach Trinity guests how to prune the young fruit trees to encourage new growth and shape the trees for proper air flow and sun exposure.
Visit greenup.on.ca/orchard-stewards for a full map of sites where community fruit trees are planted.
This spring, GreenUP and the Peterborough Community Orchard Stewards will host a variety of events that you are invited to participate in. Visit the young orchards by helping out on a stewardship day, signing up to help water, or simply popping by when you are out on a walk.
Learn more at greenup.on.ca/orchard-stewards, and keep an eye on GreenUP social media channels for details.
GreenUP is also seeking ongoing financial support for the Peterborough Community Orchard Stewards program to continue this beautiful community project in perpetuity. Please contact executive director Tegan Moss at tegan.moss@greenup.on.ca if you or your organization are able to help sustain the project.
