Fruitful Scotland Volunteer Day

10am -3pm at Elmwood College Farm, Cuparmuir, KY15 5RN.

FREE - bring a sandwich - families welcome. Tools, gloves etc will be provided.

Come and volunteer on the new Orchard planted at Elmwood College as a training orchard to help people learn skills. The day will consist of some practical work, maintaining and developing the newly planted orchard. There will also be an opportunity to be shown how to do bud grafting - which is how apple trees are propogated. The volunteer day will be led by John Hancox, director of the Commonwealth Orchard, and Chair of Scottish Orchards, with Iain Hunter of Elmwood College.

We will also bring an apple press to make some juice - always popular with children.

Scottish Orchards is a new Scotland wide group (www.scottishorchards.com ) which aims to support fruit growing in Scotland and is open to anyone with an interest in growing, picking and using fruit. As well as preserving old varieties of fruit - the traditional skills of pruning, grafting and preserving fruit need to be continued. Passing this knowledge to younger people is very important. If you'd like to join Scottish Orchards or find out more about volunteering please contact John Hancox - john@commonwealthorchard.com 0778 6063918

Tree Planting on Easter Saturday 3 April 2010

The St Andrews Orchard Group and volunteers have planted the first thirty trees to establish a branch of the Commonwealth Orchard in St Andrews. The Commonwealth Orchard is inspired by the 2014 Games coming to Scotland and builds on the successful track record of the Children's Orchard. The Commonwealth Orchard is being planted across Scotland and beyond, consisting of lots of small plantings, making a greater whole. Their vision is that children and families can all grow fruit near to where they live. Businesses, landowners, charities, local authorities, schools and communities can all create a fruitful Scotland. The first batch of trees were planted in Stanks Park, behind Macs papershop on Lamond Drive and these trees were donated by Fife Council, Fife Coastal & Countryside Trust and private donations. The St Andrews Orchard Group hopes to plant more trees in the Autumn and if you would like to help please contact Henry Paul

Fruit tree planting-Saturday 3 April 2010

The trees have been delivered and kept in my garden over winter and they will be planted on Saturday 3 April. If you would like to take part please meet at 1:00pm in Stanks Park (behind Mac’s papershop on Lamond Drive). I have trees, stakes, ties, tree-guards and compost but, I only have two spades so if possible please bring your own spade to help speed things along. If anyone is interested in helping please contact me for details and if possible adopt a tree, if you would like further information about this project please contact me by
e-mail: henrythenav@hotmail.com or 07977-131635

Tree planting postponed

Hi, Due to the frozen ground we will have to postpone the fruit tree planting in Stanks Park. I will be back in contact when I have had a chance to see what the weather will be like between Christmas and New Year. The trees are fine as I heeled them in when they arrived at the end of November and we can afford to wait until the weather is more suitable. Regards, Henry Paul 07977-131635

St Andrews Orchard Group

The St Andrews Orchard Group will be planting 20 fruit trees in Stanks Park (behind Mac’s papershop on Lamond Drive) with the aim of establishing a Commonwealth Community Orchard in St Andrews. Fife Council has approved the establishment of the Orchard in Stanks Park, between Lamond Drive and Kilrymont Place, and they have funded the purchase of the first 20 fruit trees as per the website:http://standrewsorchardgroup.blogspot.com/ Planting will be on Monday 21 or Tuesday 22 December depending on the weather. If you would like to take part please meet at 1:00pm at the park and further details can be obtained from Henry Paul (07977-131635).

The trees have been delivered and I am hoping to plant them either on the afternoon of Monday 21 or Tuesday 22 December depending on the weather. If anyone is interested in helping please contact me for details and if possible adopt a tree, if you would like further information about this project please contact me by e-mail: henrythenav@hotmail.com or 07977-131635 or view our blog: http://standrewsorchardgroup.blogspot.com/

Planned planting dates

Fife Council have approved the establishemnt of the Commonwealth Orchard in Stanks Park and they have funded the purchase of the first 20 fruit trees as per the order below. The trees will be delivered in mid-December and planted during the Christmas holidays. If anyone is interested in helping please contact me for details and if possible adopt a tree.

Henry Paul 07977-131635 or henrythenav@hotmail.com