Community Apple Orchard Seeks Volunteers To Adopt, Upkeep Trees
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Community Apple Orchard Seeks Volunteers To Adopt, Upkeep Trees
By Jennifer [email protected]
That is why they are seeking people to adopt trees in the orchard and assist with clearing brush and light pruning.
The Warsaw couple has been working since last December with Grace College to restore the 6-1/2-acre community apple orchard.
The orchard is located at 1940 E. Pierceton Road, Winona Lake, at the intersection of Packerton and Pierceton Roads.
There are 883 trees at the apple orchard. More than 90 percent of the trees are apple trees, but there also are five peach trees, six pear trees and one cherry tree.
There are 10-12 different types of apple trees with Granny Smith, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples. There also are blueberry bushes at the orchard.
The property and orchard are owned by Grace College, and the Skippers have made arrangements with the college to restore the orchard on a volunteer basis.
The Skippers have had meetings with the college to develop a plan to restore the orchard.
The man who originally planted the orchard, Ben Tollison, a retired minister, had two passions, people and trees, Tracy said.
Tracy said Tollison planted the orchard in the 1990s, and he passed away a few years ago and there was no one to care for the orchard.
"When we moved here we saw the orchard was beginning to fall into decline and we wanted to see it restored," Tracy said.
Tracy said Tollison had a passion for the orchard and kept it up and gave away produce when he was alive.
Skipper said the purpose of the orchard is to serve the community.
"The idea is for people to adopt a tree or for those who can't adopt a tree and have financial hardship to go to a local service agency and get a voucher so they can pick apples," Skipper said.
Skipper said the orchard needs volunteers to lightly prune the apple trees so they will be ready to harvest in the fall.
There are currently 35 people who have adopted 83 trees and there are still 800 trees that need to be adopted.
There is a $20 cost per year to adopt a tree. A person can adopt a tree and take care of the tree by pruning it and can pick fruit from the tree they care for this fall.
The tree adoption proceeds cover the orchard's Web site expenses and the cost of purchasing light pruning tools and organic compound materials used to spray the trees.
"We are looking for people to help take care of the grounds to keep our costs down," Skipper said.
Skipper said there have been numerous volunteers who have assisted with the orchard.
He said approximately 30 Lakeland Christian Academy students visited the orchard in April and May and labeled the trees with letters and numbers to identify the trees, and also cleared brush from around the trees.
The orchard currently has seven volunteers that help with mowing the orchard and other upkeep work, but more volunteers are needed.
An annual meeting for the orchard will be Thursday at 5 p.m. in meeting room B at Warsaw Community Public Library.
To learn how to adopt a tree or to volunteer or learn more about the orchard call Skipper at 574-267-3306 or visit www.communityappleorchard.org
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That is why they are seeking people to adopt trees in the orchard and assist with clearing brush and light pruning.
The Warsaw couple has been working since last December with Grace College to restore the 6-1/2-acre community apple orchard.
The orchard is located at 1940 E. Pierceton Road, Winona Lake, at the intersection of Packerton and Pierceton Roads.
There are 883 trees at the apple orchard. More than 90 percent of the trees are apple trees, but there also are five peach trees, six pear trees and one cherry tree.
There are 10-12 different types of apple trees with Granny Smith, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples. There also are blueberry bushes at the orchard.
The property and orchard are owned by Grace College, and the Skippers have made arrangements with the college to restore the orchard on a volunteer basis.
The Skippers have had meetings with the college to develop a plan to restore the orchard.
The man who originally planted the orchard, Ben Tollison, a retired minister, had two passions, people and trees, Tracy said.
Tracy said Tollison planted the orchard in the 1990s, and he passed away a few years ago and there was no one to care for the orchard.
"When we moved here we saw the orchard was beginning to fall into decline and we wanted to see it restored," Tracy said.
Tracy said Tollison had a passion for the orchard and kept it up and gave away produce when he was alive.
Skipper said the purpose of the orchard is to serve the community.
"The idea is for people to adopt a tree or for those who can't adopt a tree and have financial hardship to go to a local service agency and get a voucher so they can pick apples," Skipper said.
Skipper said the orchard needs volunteers to lightly prune the apple trees so they will be ready to harvest in the fall.
There are currently 35 people who have adopted 83 trees and there are still 800 trees that need to be adopted.
There is a $20 cost per year to adopt a tree. A person can adopt a tree and take care of the tree by pruning it and can pick fruit from the tree they care for this fall.
The tree adoption proceeds cover the orchard's Web site expenses and the cost of purchasing light pruning tools and organic compound materials used to spray the trees.
"We are looking for people to help take care of the grounds to keep our costs down," Skipper said.
Skipper said there have been numerous volunteers who have assisted with the orchard.
He said approximately 30 Lakeland Christian Academy students visited the orchard in April and May and labeled the trees with letters and numbers to identify the trees, and also cleared brush from around the trees.
The orchard currently has seven volunteers that help with mowing the orchard and other upkeep work, but more volunteers are needed.
An annual meeting for the orchard will be Thursday at 5 p.m. in meeting room B at Warsaw Community Public Library.
To learn how to adopt a tree or to volunteer or learn more about the orchard call Skipper at 574-267-3306 or visit www.communityappleorchard.org
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