Picking Cherries Where We Left Off
Jul 14th, 2008 by Laura Reinsborough
Last week a serendipitous sour cherry harvest occurred. This was a tree that we weren’t sure if our regular volunteers could commit to since it is outside of the range we set for 2008. (We’re keeping this year’s picking to the general limits of Ward 21 to ensure we can transport all of our materials and fruit sustainably.) Just a few days later, From the Ground UP’s Youth Green Squad asked if they could come along for a pick. Not only do they happen to be in the same neighbourhood as the sour cherry tree, but they are already linked up with community food programs. What a perfect opportunity for crosspollination!
So they brought their bikes and ladder to harvest a sour cherry. The owner wasn’t sure if the cherries were edible, but a quick scouting revealed that they were sour cherries – not necessarily everybody’s favourite fresh fruit, but they are the best for baking and freeze nicely. So the youth who didn’t want to climb or use the ladder started pitting and packing the cherries on-site. I stopped by to check out their awesome effort and to tell the tale of not far from the tree.
The Green Squad has their own blog. Check it out – maybe we’ll get to find out how they eventually use the cherries.
