Urban Orchards Project Underway

Berkshire Orchard at Kennedy Farm seen on August 22, 2013.

The first of two new urban orchards, featuring fruit trees and shrubs is now a reality in Indian Orchard.  Berkshire Farm at Kennedy Farm has a dozen fruit trees, and 20 native Blueberry bushes growing in part of the Springfield School Department’s Kennedy Farm, which is located at Kennedy Junior High School.  The new orchard trees and shrubs recently received an ‘end of summer’ refresher, when the Regreen Springfield summer interns spent two days weeding, pruning, mulching and cultivating the area.

A second orchard is planned for Johnny Appleseed Park at Mill Street, with the planting of fruit trees and bushes scheduled for installation in late September.  Check back for details on how you might help in this planting, which will include participation by TD Bank employees.  TD Bank is the major funder for the Urban Orchards initiative.

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Week of July 1, 2013 – Tee Shirt Contest

Can anyone guess the insect in the photo, found on an Elm tree on Roosevelt Avenue last week.

If you think you know the correct answer, please submit your answer online to http://goo.gl/G1izS

We will be giving away a brand new, 2013 edition of the Regreen Springfield T-Shirt to a lucky winner, who will be chosen from the correct answers to the question. So submit your answer today.

 

Posted in East Forest Park, Forest Park, Home, McKnight, NEWS, Old Hill, Six Corners, Sixteen Acres, South End, Uncategorized, Upper Hill | Leave a comment

New Urban Orchard Trees Destroyed by Vandals

Six, large new fruit trees that were planted as part of the TD Green Streets Urban Orchard Initiative being undertaken by the City of Springfield and Regreen Springfield, were chopped down this weekend. They were the first trees planted at the Berkshire Orchard at Kennedy Farm in Springfield’s Indian Orchard neighborhood.  The trees are part of initiative to establish two new orchards in low-income neighborhoods in the city.  Funding for the project comes from a competitive grant award fro TD Bank’s Green Streets Program. The orchard initiative was one of ten projects funded by the grant program.

Posted in East Forest Park, Forest Park, Home, McKnight, NEWS, Old Hill, Six Corners, Sixteen Acres, South End, Uncategorized, Upper Hill | Leave a comment