Abstract
Community orchards are a type of urban agriculture project bringing fruit- and nut-bearing trees and shrubs to neighborhoods across the U.S. While urban agriculture is receiving substantial attention in food studies literature, community orchards are still largely absent from academic conversations. We conducted a qualitative, inductive survey of community orchard organizations in the U.S. to establish a baseline understanding. This survey was addressed to orchard organizers and focused on two questions. First, what is driving the rise of community orcharding projects in the U.S.? Second, how are the organizations affecting local food systems? Organizations were selected to be recipients of our survey, which garnered a 42.64% response rate, if they had an Internet presence and active e-mail account; identification of survey participants was Internet-based, and as a result, little is known about orchards that do not have an Internet presence. Findings showed that community orchards are primarily established on public land, often facilitated by municipal parks and recreation departments, and range in size from pocket orchards of just a few trees to multiple acres of diverse planting. Primary motivations for beginning community orchards include concern for the environment, education, and a sense of community. A preliminary understanding of this impact lies at the nexus of these final two motivations. Community orchard organizers predominately reported fruit and nuts produced in the orchard would feed residents in the geographic area immediately surrounding the site. This arrangement of public fruit and nut production and volunteer orchard management is leading to a novel form of community development that merits further research.
Highlights
Introduction and BackgroundAlternative food projects, which include activities like community-based agriculture and neighborhood foraging or gleaning groups, are capturing national attention as gardens fill decaying urban landscapes and fair trade products line shelves (Goodman & Goodman, 2009)
This paper presents the results of a qualitative survey of community orchard organizers across the U.S Research was conducted with a guiding objective of understanding what activities are conducted in community orchards, learning the stakeholders of community orchards, and gathering demographic data on organizational leadership
While food production is central to the act of community orcharding, affecting community food security may be a secondary outcome, with community development and improving the environment serving as primary outcomes
Summary
Alternative food projects, which include activities like community-based agriculture and neighborhood foraging or gleaning groups, are capturing national attention as gardens fill decaying urban landscapes and fair trade products line shelves (Goodman & Goodman, 2009) Such projects are being increasingly regarded as “green infrastructure,” a term most commonly associated with storm water management; this language demonstrates a valuation of the goods produced by trees and plants, but their services as well (McLain, Poe, Hurley, Lecompte-Mastenbrook, & Emery, 2012). Rather than food production as an end, it is a means to empowerment and, more importantly, valuation of a cultural identity
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