not far from the tree

The Stop Community Food Centre piloted their summer camp program for two weeks in August. The campers came to the Stop’s Green Barn each day, went on field trips (like to the grocery store and the farmers market at Nathan Phillips Square), toured the greenhouse, tended to and harvested from the sheltered garden, and fed themselves with two snacks and a lunch each day. And the weeklong experience was free of charge! In my mind, this seems like a food and garden educational utopia.

Each week the campers also joined Not Far From The Tree on a pear-picking adventure. We toured the neighbourhood around the Green Barn (our Ward 21 hub) to spot all sorts of fruit trees: cherries, apricots, mulberries, serviceberries, apples, and pears. Then we joined up with a live action fruit pick and jumped right in on the fun.

We took turns picking pears in small groups, making sure everybody got a chance to try. To gain a little extra reach, we used the fruit-picking tools on extension poles. The rewards were plentiful.

When all the picking was done, the campers hauled a portion of the fruit back to the Green Barn with them and prepared them for a snack. Using the Stop’s industrial dehydrator, they dried the pears and feasted upon them throughout the week. Some were hesitant to try the dried pears at first but with a little coaxing (ahem, dipping them in honey), they soon couldn’t stop.

In recognition of their fruit-picking achievement, each camper was awarded a certificate. I wish them all well in what is sure to be only the beginning of a long and prosperous fruit-picking career!