Planting orchards for schoolchildren worldwide

Dear friends,

We wanted to provide an exciting orchard update on a Fruit Tree 101 school orchard! 

In 2020, we teamed up with Langley Elementary School in Washington, DC, a Title I school serving 330 neighborhood children and special needs students. Our goal was to expand their social-emotional learning garden into a vibrant, 30-plant food forest. Even when heavy rain hit on planting day, our team and partners at the school and local permaculture group Forested forged ahead, getting every single tree and shrub into the ground in their new home beside the sports field.

Six years later...look at what has been accomplished!

What started as modest saplings has blossomed into one of the largest public school food forests in DC. During our recent return visit to prune alongside DC Parks and Recreation, the space was thriving, with mature and fruiting native Paw Paws, Asian Pears, Figs, Persimmons, Serviceberries, Mulberries, and fruiting shrubs.

As summer progresses, these trees have burst into a lush canopy, inviting students outside to learn, explore, and harvest fresh, organic fruit right on their school grounds.

Thanks to your support at the time of planting and over the years, we've made this schoolyard orchard possible. In schools across the country and around the world, thousands of trees like these are also providing nutrition, enrichment, and joy.

If you are able, a donation toward planting and maintaining orchards like Langley's would be deeply appreciated!

To a fruit-filled late summer season for all students,

The FTPF Team