These people give a fig!
Free fruit trees were available in Druid Hill Park at “The Fruit Tree Fair”
Above: Among the folks on hand as persimmons, figs and other trees are given away in front of the Rawlings Conservatory – “The Urban Druid.” (Fern Shen)
It’s the gift that keeps on giving, potentially. Fruit-bearing trees – persimmon, pawpaw, serviceberry and fig – were being given away by the city yesterday in Druid Hill Park.
One man who took advantage of the one-to-a-household offer was about to march off with his Ficus carica when he seemed to have a thought and wheeled back over to the Tree Give-away Table.
“I’m thinking I’d better get some information on how to plant this thing and how to take care of a fig,” he said. “Do you have an information sheet?”
They had that and more. The Baltimore City Fruit Tree Fair had representatives of all the organizations that came together in 2015 to promote fruit tree plantings in the city.
TreeBaltimore, the Baltimore Orchard Project, the Parks & People Foundation and the Baltimore Recreation and Parks Department, which formed the Baltimore City Fruit Tree Partnership, showcased their efforts Saturday under a sunny blue sky.
In addition to the give-away, there were free workshops offering tips on everything from how to prune your tree or winterize your fig to how to start a community orchard in your neighborhood.
There was a small-batch cider operation selling their wares and an apiarist talking about the life history and ecology of the bee and selling honey.
The Baltimore City Fruit Tree Partnership give-away at Druid Hill Park. (Fern Shen)
Held in front of the historic Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, the event included a tour of the tropical fruit plants growing inside, including kumquat, passionfruit, grapefruit and prickly pear.
To find out more about the Fruit Tree Partnership, check out Fruit Tree Fair Faceboook event page and Tree Baltimore