Philadelphia Orchard Project

If you've been paying attention, you may have noticed that trees and shrubs all over the city are starting to ripen, boasting the red to purple berries known as serviceberry, shadberry, juneberry, and a host of other names. (And if you haven't, the neighborhood birds certainly have!) While POP isn't set to host any gleaning events over the weekend, if you find some time in between the showers, it may be a good time to harvest some juneberries in your own neighborhood! The jun...eberry (Amelanchier) is a commonly planted street tree, in addition to being one that you can find in POP's community orchards, and we've tried to map out locations of publicly accessible trees around the city, which you can view via the link in our bio. The berries are easy to identify, and you can can find more info on them on POP's blog and resource page. They look pretty similar to blueberries (which only grow on shrubs and which are not yet ripe), and taste like a cross between blueberries and almonds. Please harvest carefully: don't damage trees or branches, don't pick from private property, and be sure to leave berries for others (humans and birds alike). You may see some berries with what looks like "alien cheeto dust" on them. This is cedar apple rust, a common fungal disease that incubate on plants in the juniper family and whose spores travel through the air to wreak havoc on apples, hawthorns, quince, and serviceberries. It's not harmful to humans, but it doesn't taste very good- so avoid picking berries with any rust on them and wash them all well before eating. If you find a tree and harvest from it, please tag us! @phillyorchards #juneberryjoy

The juneberries are coming! In fact, some may even be ripe this weekend. Find out if there are trees in your neighborhood by checking out the Philadelphia serviceberry map. Please practice responsible harvesting: don't damage trees, don't pick from someone's yard, and leave fruit for others (people & birds!). We will be scheduling some group harvests in the coming week(s) but the juneberry (aka serviceberry aka shadberry) is pretty easy to identify, if you want to harvest on your own. Keep an eye on our stories via social media (on Fb/IG) and join the harvest listserv if you want direct reminders. Link to join that group in the comments. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit

Happening next week: the first in an online workshop series with AARP Pennsylvania Office We'll be sharing some fun cocktail/ mocktail recipes featuring herbs and berries you can grow at home or find at a local farmers market. Sign up via the AARP-PA link: https://local.aarp.org//aarp-pa-the-philadelphia-orchard-p

POP will be hosting some juneberry harvests soon and also this fun event with the Free Library! #juneberry

Food insecurity has long been an issue that many face everyday. In Katie S Martin’s new book ‘Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries: New Tools to End Hunger’, she proposes a change from thinking of hunger as a short-term emergency and provides a guide on how we can move towards empowering communities in the long-term with new programs that will focus on continued stability for those in need. https://civileats.com//its-time-to-reinvent-food-banks-sa/