We will be relocating the trail in our area and making the new one meander through the trees. We also plan to put in a few benches so people can sit in the shade of the orchard.
Please help by donating your time and materials to this awesome cause!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Planting trees in June!
Wow, I guess that I have paid attention to the facebook page and totally ignored the blog - sorry. I will do better as things are really heating up and we are planting our first community orchard in June. We need help, so please do what you can.
We will be relocating the trail in our area and making the new one meander through the trees. We also plan to put in a few benches so people can sit in the shade of the orchard.
Please help by donating your time and materials to this awesome cause!
We will be relocating the trail in our area and making the new one meander through the trees. We also plan to put in a few benches so people can sit in the shade of the orchard.
Please help by donating your time and materials to this awesome cause!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Martel Farm
The other day, my family and I had the pleasure of touring the Martel Farm in Lindon, Utah. Joe and Barbara Martel have run the farm since the early 1990's and they are a wealth of knowledge and a real asset to the Orchard and Garden. They showed and told us of their routine - they are amazing.
Here is a photo of some of their apples and cherries.
They also grow organic concord grapes. I should have taken pictures of their garden - next time!
Thanks for the tour and all of the info Joe and Barbara. You two are awesome.
This photo is a great example of how organized and well kept their farm is. We talked about insect control, winter damage, pruning, thinning, watering and ground cover.
They also grow organic concord grapes. I should have taken pictures of their garden - next time!
Thanks for the tour and all of the info Joe and Barbara. You two are awesome.
RAP Tax
Hey everyone,
We've really been busy getting a son off on a mission for the LDS church. It has been nice having family in town but all of the activity has kept me from updating the blog. The good news is that we have been busy and making progress with the project.
On July 1st, we applied for a Cedar City RAP Tax grant. In the process, we formed a Utah corp and are now officially a pending 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The grant application was filed and we asked for funds to get some irrigation supplies, fencing and some help in completing our 501(c)(3). Unfortunately, the day that the RAP Tax committee was meeting to ask questions of the applicants was the same day I had to take my son and drop him off at the MTC. We are fortunate that Scott Jolly of the Chamber of Commerce stepped in and went to the meeting in my place. I can't wait to get the results -
We've really been busy getting a son off on a mission for the LDS church. It has been nice having family in town but all of the activity has kept me from updating the blog. The good news is that we have been busy and making progress with the project.
On July 1st, we applied for a Cedar City RAP Tax grant. In the process, we formed a Utah corp and are now officially a pending 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The grant application was filed and we asked for funds to get some irrigation supplies, fencing and some help in completing our 501(c)(3). Unfortunately, the day that the RAP Tax committee was meeting to ask questions of the applicants was the same day I had to take my son and drop him off at the MTC. We are fortunate that Scott Jolly of the Chamber of Commerce stepped in and went to the meeting in my place. I can't wait to get the results -
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Article in the Iron County Today
Here is an article that ran this week in the Iron County Today:
New community orchard, garden project in the works CEDAR CITY – Several local residents are currently working hard to establish a community orchard and garden project that would benefit the community and the organizations that help those in need.
The Cedar City Community Orchard and Garden Project is the brainchild of Cedar City resident Brian Tremelling and his family. They were recently brainstorming ideas of ways to give back to the community, specifically the Iron County Care and Share, and the idea of a community orchard that would produce fresh fruit for the Care and Share to use was born, Tremelling said.
“By just planting a few trees and then keeping up on maintenance, an orchard provides a resource for the community for decades,” Tremelling said.
He is hoping to be able to plant apple, pear, peach, apricot, nectarine, nut and cherry trees at the orchard.
“It’s amazing what the Care and Share is doing for the community, especially in this economy,” Tremelling said.
The orchard is just a way of showing support for the Care and Share and other organizations that work to end hunger in the area.
Candace Schaible of the USU Extension Office suggested the orchard be expanded to include a community garden, similar to that at the SUU farm, where residents could reserve a garden bed for a small fee that would then be used to pay for maintenance and upkeep.
Tremelling is currently working with Cedar City to obtain land and water use for the orchard. He said they hope to have three to four acres near some of the city’s walking paths.
The project is in the process of seeking RAP (recreation, arts and parks) tax money for funding, and Tremelling said that funding is preliminary to gaining approval for land from the city.
Once the project has a place to begin, Tremelling said they hope to have fencing and irrigation in before the snow falls so planting can begin in the spring. It is planned that there will be 80 to 100 raised grow boxes, but they will probably be built in phases, he said.
Several groups from the community have expressed interest in helping with the project, Tremelling said, including the USU Extension Office, the Cedar Area Interfaith Alliance, SUU, the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Farmers Market and Martel Farm – a farm in Utah County.
Anyone interested in helping with the Cedar City Community Orchard and Garden Project should first visit their Facebook page and “like” them, Tremelling said. Having a lot of Facebook followers may help get RAP tax money, he said.
Also, anyone interested in helping to raise funds, plant or plan the orchard and garden can contact Tremelling at cedarcityorchard@gmail.com and for more information can visit www.cedarcityorchard.blogspot.com.
Read more: Cedar City News - New community orchard garden project in the works
New community orchard, garden project in the works
The Cedar City Community Orchard and Garden Project is the brainchild of Cedar City resident Brian Tremelling and his family. They were recently brainstorming ideas of ways to give back to the community, specifically the Iron County Care and Share, and the idea of a community orchard that would produce fresh fruit for the Care and Share to use was born, Tremelling said.
“By just planting a few trees and then keeping up on maintenance, an orchard provides a resource for the community for decades,” Tremelling said.
He is hoping to be able to plant apple, pear, peach, apricot, nectarine, nut and cherry trees at the orchard.
“It’s amazing what the Care and Share is doing for the community, especially in this economy,” Tremelling said.
The orchard is just a way of showing support for the Care and Share and other organizations that work to end hunger in the area.
Candace Schaible of the USU Extension Office suggested the orchard be expanded to include a community garden, similar to that at the SUU farm, where residents could reserve a garden bed for a small fee that would then be used to pay for maintenance and upkeep.
Tremelling is currently working with Cedar City to obtain land and water use for the orchard. He said they hope to have three to four acres near some of the city’s walking paths.
The project is in the process of seeking RAP (recreation, arts and parks) tax money for funding, and Tremelling said that funding is preliminary to gaining approval for land from the city.
Once the project has a place to begin, Tremelling said they hope to have fencing and irrigation in before the snow falls so planting can begin in the spring. It is planned that there will be 80 to 100 raised grow boxes, but they will probably be built in phases, he said.
Several groups from the community have expressed interest in helping with the project, Tremelling said, including the USU Extension Office, the Cedar Area Interfaith Alliance, SUU, the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Farmers Market and Martel Farm – a farm in Utah County.
Anyone interested in helping with the Cedar City Community Orchard and Garden Project should first visit their Facebook page and “like” them, Tremelling said. Having a lot of Facebook followers may help get RAP tax money, he said.
Also, anyone interested in helping to raise funds, plant or plan the orchard and garden can contact Tremelling at cedarcityorchard@gmail.com and for more information can visit www.cedarcityorchard.blogspot.com.
Read more: Cedar City News - New community orchard garden project in the works
Friday, June 17, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Conversation with Ray Sim, Iron County Care and Share
Today I met with Ray Sim and I thought I would share a few thoughts from that meeting.
Ray told me that the ICC&S has served over 900 different households / families so far this year. He also said that over 500 households / families come every month to receive benefits from this amazing organization. I found on Wikipedia that there are about 6,500 households in Cedar City. That means that one out of every thirteen are receiving food aid at the Care and Share!
We talked about the possibility of over production. Ray assured me that their connections with other food bank locations in the region would assure that nothing will go to waste.
Ray and the people at the Care and Share are working really hard for this community and we are happy to support them with the Orchard and Garden project.
Ray told me that the ICC&S has served over 900 different households / families so far this year. He also said that over 500 households / families come every month to receive benefits from this amazing organization. I found on Wikipedia that there are about 6,500 households in Cedar City. That means that one out of every thirteen are receiving food aid at the Care and Share!
We talked about the possibility of over production. Ray assured me that their connections with other food bank locations in the region would assure that nothing will go to waste.
Ray and the people at the Care and Share are working really hard for this community and we are happy to support them with the Orchard and Garden project.
This logo is being used with permission from the Iron County Care and Share
Sunday, May 29, 2011
How big of an impact will we make?
The annual produce from a 500 tree orchard will depend upon a number of factors, including type of fruit, variety, weather, water, nutrients, tree maturity, etc. We plan to allow the experts to help us in choosing the types of trees and in helping with the other factors.
With that said, I have received a few questions about how much fruit could be produced. My answer is obviously contingent on a number of factors but here we go:
Assuming that we end up planting semi-dwarf trees and basing these numbers on published estimates from the University of Arizona, we could see an annual production of about 1700 bushels at tree maturity. Considering that a bushel of apples is typically about 42 pounds, that's a lot of fruit!
Some may say that it's too much fruit and there is a concern that much of it will come on all at once. Here are a few options that have been discussed to that end.
- Plant types and varieties of fruit that mature at different times of the year.
- Send excess production to food bank locations in neighboring communities.
- Give excess production to the residents of the Cedar City area.
- Allow families to pick through the orchard after we have met the needs of the ICC&S and others. We can ask them to make a modest donation for the fruit they receive. This donation can help to maintain the orchard and garden with excess going as a cash donation to the Care and Share.
- We could plant trees in phases to ensure that we don't over plant / produce.
As you can see, this project has a rather large scope which and will positively impact our community for years. You can also see that the committee for this CCCOG project has a lot to consider. We would love to get your input! Please email us and give us your thoughts and suggestions -
Have a great weekend!
With that said, I have received a few questions about how much fruit could be produced. My answer is obviously contingent on a number of factors but here we go:
Assuming that we end up planting semi-dwarf trees and basing these numbers on published estimates from the University of Arizona, we could see an annual production of about 1700 bushels at tree maturity. Considering that a bushel of apples is typically about 42 pounds, that's a lot of fruit!
Some may say that it's too much fruit and there is a concern that much of it will come on all at once. Here are a few options that have been discussed to that end.
- Plant types and varieties of fruit that mature at different times of the year.
- Send excess production to food bank locations in neighboring communities.
- Give excess production to the residents of the Cedar City area.
- Allow families to pick through the orchard after we have met the needs of the ICC&S and others. We can ask them to make a modest donation for the fruit they receive. This donation can help to maintain the orchard and garden with excess going as a cash donation to the Care and Share.
- We could plant trees in phases to ensure that we don't over plant / produce.
As you can see, this project has a rather large scope which and will positively impact our community for years. You can also see that the committee for this CCCOG project has a lot to consider. We would love to get your input! Please email us and give us your thoughts and suggestions -
Have a great weekend!
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