The Giving Grove national office recently teamed up with Kansas City Community Gardens and Certified Arborist Molly Gosnell for a data-driven project funded by the Missouri Dept. of Conservation. As of today, the data is almost finished getting crunched!
This project analyzed 149 Missouri orchards (of the 246 total in KS and MO) and utilized i-Tree Eco to quantify the benefits and value of the almost 4,000 trees.
We can’t wait to share results with you in the coming months – but we can assure you that little orchards DO have a big impact.
#CarbonSequestration #Evapotranspiration #AvoidedRunnoff #OxygenProduction
Happy Arbor Day to all our wonderful Giving Grove friends! 🌳 Let's celebrate by planting trees and nurturing our green spaces for a healthier, more vibrant future. Together, we're making our communities greener and more sustainable! #ArborDay #PlantATree #GivingGrove
KC Current fans know all about heart on the field, but have you seen AD Franch's big heart off the field? This dedicated supporter champions The Giving Grove! See why Adrianna Franch believes in giving back.
Watch the video now!
Feeling fruity this #EarthDay? We are! Help us plant more fruit trees and spread a little sweetness around the country. Every donation made in April (up to $25k) will be matched, doubling your impact in honor of Mother Earth!
** Drumroll please... Our giveaway winner for a copy of The Nature Fix by Florence Williams is Amanda McMickle! Congratulations, Amanda! **
Didn't win this time? Don't worry! We've got another giveaway coming up on Instagram soon. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, remember that Florence Williams will be a speaker at our Planting Promise event on April 24, 2024! Tickets are selling fast, so grab yours now before they disappear!
Last weekend, we huddled together at the Hale Cook Elementary Giving Grove orchard for a joyous wassail in honor of the orchard's brave branches. ❄️✨
But why wassail, you ask? Well, this ancient tradition isn't just about clinking cider mugs and singing carols (though there was plenty of that, too!). Wassailing is a way to bless the trees, ward off evil spirits, and encourage a bountiful harvest come fall. By making merry noise, sharing offerings, and even giving the trunks a good hug (don't worry, the trees love it!), we send positive vibes their way, hoping for juicy apples, plump pears, and maybe even a cheeky bunny or two. ️
And you know what? The magic just might work! ✨ Every year, the Hale Cook orchard gives back to the community, providing fresh fruit for families of its community and fostering a love for nature in the hearts of young Kansas City minds.
So, raise a cider mug to the trees, to tradition, and to the incredible things that can grow when we come together to care for our community.
#HaleCookOrchard #Wassail #KansasCity #GivingGrove #CheersToTheTrees #CommunityGarden #OrchardLove #ApplesForEveryone #NatureMagic
(The Hale Cook Giving Grove orchard is supported by Giving Grove affiliate Kansas City Community Gardens)
🐰 Snowflakes and Bunny Capers: Embrace the winter wonderland, but beware of mischievous bunnies causing fruit tree havoc 😱! Note the damage now, so you're not left scratching your head come spring.🌳❄️ Next fall, think of raising branches or wrapping them to protect them next winter. As always, your local Giving Grove program manager has your back for bunny defense strategies! 🌿🐇
#WinterWoes #BunnyMischief #TreeGuardians
Building an Orchard Community
Managing an urban orchard or community garden is a lot of work! But as the old saying goes, "Many hands make light work." Building a community around your orchard or garden can be a great way to not only lighten the maintenance load but also connect with each other and build relationships over a common goal.
In this video, The Giving Grove breaks down 5 easy tips for building a community around your orchard or community gardens: Signage, Workdays, ABCD, Data, & Celebrations. For more resources and a transcript of this film, visit the link in our comments.
Thank you for Hydro Flask for your support in creating this film!
Embrace tranquility on International Tea Day! 🌏☕ Before the start of another lively holiday weekend, let the calming whispers of tea leaves in this video set the tone for a peaceful start. 🌿 #InternationalTeaDay #ZenMoments #TeaTimePeace
[Video Description: Tea poured into a cup with pears and blueberries surrounding the cup.]
Winterizing your trees is an important step before tucking in for a long winter's nap. Check out this film. In less than 2 minutes, you will learn easy ways to protect your trees over the dormant season.
#GivingGrove #OrchardMaintenance #HorticultureEducation #DormantSeason
Ugly fruit is still delicious fruit. Why not try it in an elevated Apple Grilled Cheese?
#GivingGrove #GivingGroveOrchards #LittleOrchardsBigImpact #GivingGroveNationalNetwork #UglyFruit
This month, Sarah Sikich (Giving Grove Marketing & Communications Manager) contributed a blog post sharing the surprising lessons that come from stewarding a Giving Grove school orchard.
Read an excerpt:
Ten years ago, volunteers planted 20 trees and 4 berry brambles in the heart of the campus. At the time, the elementary school was closed due to low attendance. The orchard was planted to foster community and encourage the school district to reopen the school. Little did we know that 10 years later, the school would be reopened and busting at the seams with happy smiling faces and that the orchard would become an outdoor classroom, offering students a unique opportunity to connect with nature and witness the magic of growth firsthand...
Click here to read more: https://www.givinggrove.org/blog-reference/nurturing-growth-and-community
Want to smell the beauty of an orchard in your home (in a sustainable, eco-friendly way)? Check out Arbor Made candles. When you purchase the 🌚🍎Midnight Orchard🍎🌚 refillable candle, a donation is made to The Giving Grove national network!
These candles are:
🕯️ 100% natural soy wax
🍃 Vegan
❣️ Non-toxic & phthalate-free
🐶 Pet friendly
🐰 Cruelty-free
https://arbormade.co/products/midnight-orchard
Co-Executive Director Erica Kratofil joined GROW North Texas for this fantastic film by Kubota that profiles the Giving Grove program in the Dallas area. We are so proud of the impact they are making in Texas.
Have you voted to help double the grant awarded to The Giving Grove in Dallas? Vote daily for sweepstakes entries to win a lawnmower or tractor!
https://www.kubotausa.com/hometown-proud/voting
Food Well Alliance ReTreeUS Louisville Grows The Common Orchard Project Unity Gardens Inc. Tree Pittsburgh Denver Urban Gardens Tilth Alliance Seed St. Louis The Big Garden Kansas City Community Gardens
Harvests are beginning from coast to coast! Send us your harvest photos, and we will feature them on our feeds. Either tag us in your photos or email them to [email protected]!
Orchard Tip! Thinning fruitlets will allow the fruit to grow larger and help with pest control.
When looking at a cluster of fruitlets, choose the fruitlets that look healthiest and have no evidence of pests. Pluck the rest of the fruit out of the cluster.
- Apples and Pears: 1 fruit per cluster
- Plums and Nectarines: 2-4” between fruit
- Peaches: 3-5” between fruits
This may feel counterproductive to growing fruit, but by allowing one fruitlet to get all the energy and nutrition of the cluster, you will grow larger, healthier fruit. Also, touching fruit creates an ideal spot for pests to burrow into your precious fruit!
Recently, Pyet's Plate visited us to learn more about Giving Grove's mission and to participate as a keynote speaker at our annual Planting Promise luncheon. She also graciously shared her recipe for Pecan Pesto with Smoked Oyster Mushrooms & Wild Rice using pecans that are grown in many Giving Grove orchards.
Please enjoy the cooking demonstration below and give this native and Giving Grove-inspired recipe a try at home! Don’t forget to tag @GivingGrove in your photos.
