By Lizzy Rainey | Development Manager
Dear friends,
With spring in full bloom, we are preparing for a busy season of Fruit Tree 101 plantings at schools across the country. We are especially excited to highlight an upcoming school orchard project in Minnesota this May, which is part of a larger tour involving the creation of 13 orchards across the Twin Cities, made possible through the generous support of our friends at the Arbor Day Foundation and Room & Board.
Fruit Trees for Humboldt High School
One of the highlights of this tour is a new 25-tree orchard at Humboldt High School in St. Paul, organized in partnership with Growing Resilience on the West Side. Humboldt serves approximately 1,000 students in grades 6 through 12 and hosts a robust agriculture program. With two dedicated teachers reaching about 800 students annually, the school has spent the last five years expanding its gardens and agricultural curriculum.
This new orchard will fulfill a long-term goal for the campus. The trees will serve as a 'living classroom' for horticulture and agriculture classes, where students learn everything from basic plant care to harvesting and food preservation. By involving students in the hands-on management of the orchard, including summer jobs for students to care for the grounds, the school empowers them with the skills needed to grow their own food.
Beyond the Classroom
The benefits of these 25 trees will extend far beyond the student body. The fruit harvested from the orchard will be:
Fruit Tree 101
Projects like the one at Humboldt High School demonstrate the power of school orchards to transform empty campus spaces into productive, edible landscapes. By integrating these trees into the daily lives of students, we are helping to cultivate a new generation of environmental stewards and food sovereignty advocates. We call this program Fruit Tree 101, and we have been planting in this manner for over 20 years!
We are looking forward to a productive spring on the ground with our partners and students. Stay tuned for updates and photos from the field, shared on social media and here on GlobalGiving!
Thank you for your ongoing support, which allows us to bring these outdoor classrooms to life for students across the country.
With gratitude,
The FTPF Team
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