We made it through the spring and into the long haul of summer!

This spring has been absolutely transformative for the Common Orchard Project. We've brought on Mel as our new farm manager at Camp Washington - and let me tell you, we breathed a huge sigh of relief finding such a fantastic person for this role. The energy shift has been immediate and inspiring. Learn more about Mel below.

Our Anti-Despair Earth Fair was an amazing opportunity to meet with folks ready to make change happen in their neighborhood. There's something powerful about gathering on this land, sharing knowledge, and building community that feels more essential than ever.

As I write this newsletter from the Maine Compost School, I'm buzzing with excitement about all the incredible developments happening back home and the new techniques I'm learning here that will take our compost program to the next level.

I'm feeling like we're in our own "Leap" phase this year - hitting our stride with existing orchards while preparing for exciting expansions ahead. The foundation we've built is strong, and now we're really ready to grow!

Look up at the sky, get out in the sun!

Chris Smyth

Common Orchard Project Director

Mel started with us at the beginning of June and has already jumped right into managing all aspects of Camp Washington Perennial Farm. They're overseeing our nursery operations, tending to the demonstration orchard, coordinating our expanding compost program, and bringing fresh energy to everything we do at the farm.

With Mel on board, we now have much greater capacity to welcome volunteers and provide meaningful hands-on learning experiences. Whether you're interested in propagating fruit trees, learning composting techniques, helping with orchard maintenance, or just getting your hands in the soil, there are regular opportunities to get involved.

Check out our volunteer form to hear about regular volunteer times throughout the growing season or email Mel directly, Mel@greenumbrella.org, to find a time that works for you. This is your chance to learn directly from Mel while contributing to the work that makes Camp Washington Perennial Farm such a vital community resource!

My name is Bryan, and as a 27-year-old lifelong resident of Cincinnati, I have always been captivated by the interconnectedness of gardening, foraging, and cooking. I believe that access to free, healthy food is limited only by our collective imagination and that a cultural shift away from sterile lawns toward edible landscapes is essential for our future. After exhausting the space in my own garden, I began to see the immense potential in the unused public lands throughout our city. This mutual perspective led me to Chris and the Common Orchard Project, where I found a perfect outlet for my passion and an excellent group of people dedicated to building a more resilient local food system.

My involvement with the Common Orchard Project has been deeply rewarding, from helping install half a dozen new orchards to stewarding and harvesting from many more. With many of these young orchards now approaching fruit-bearing age, the groundwork for abundance has been laid. The next crucial step is to empower stewards with the knowledge, confidence, and autonomy to care for these spaces in the years to come, and I am committed to helping through example and skill-sharing. I can sense a change happening in conversations all around me—from fellow gardeners to friends who have only known food from a grocery store. My goal is to help more people, especially those in my generation, discover the profound joy of community agriculture—a joy best understood by tasting a sweet, sun-ripened peach straight from the tree in the middle of a humid Cincinnati summer.

Join us for an insightful afternoon at Camp Washington Perennial Farm! Whether you're a long-time friend of the Common Orchard Project or new to our mission, this is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow community members and learn about the incredible work being done throughout our region.

This year's summit focuses specifically on the existing orchards we've helped establish, dedicating our time and attention to strengthening and supporting these planted sites before expanding to new tree planting projects. So if you are a current orchard steward or interested in helping out one of the 40+ orchards we have planted, this is for you!

Join us for an afternoon of:

Date: Sunday, July 20
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Location: Camp Washington Perennial Farm – 3220 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45225

RSVP HERE

Growing apples in our hot, humid Southern Ohio climate isn't for the faint of heart, but the rewards make every challenge worthwhile. When people ask about our apple trees, we're honest about both the difficulties and the incredible payoff.

The Challenge: Apples require specific variety choices to avoid common disease issues in our area. We carefully select varieties that can handle our weather while still producing quality fruit. Some of our favorite varieties include ‘Enterprise’, ‘Sundance’, ‘Arkansas Black’, ‘William's Pride’, and ‘Redfree’. We spray with Micheal Philips’ Holistic Spray mix and they also need spring sprays with a clay-based product to prevent pest damage – it's more intensive management than some of our other fruit trees.

Young apple fruitlets with Koalin Clay sprayed

The Reward: When our apple trees hit their stride, they produce more food than any other tree in our orchards. In terms of feeding people with fresh, healthy fruit, apples are absolute champions. A mature apple tree can provide hundreds of pounds of fruit annually, making them one of our most productive investments.

Timeline: Most apple varieties take 3-5 years to a little bit of fruit and reach full production around 7-10 years. The wait is worth it – both for the incredible harvest and for the satisfaction of growing something that will feed people for decades to come.

We're taking a strategic pause from major new orchard plantings this year to focus on strengthening and supporting our existing sites that we've helped establish throughout the region. This approach ensures we give proper time and attention to our current orchards before expanding to new tree planting projects. Starting next year, we'll resume broader orchard expansion efforts. If you're interested in learning more about apple cultivation or getting involved with existing orchard stewardship, reach out!

Reply to this email to reach Chris directly, or for questions regarding membership and involvement opportunities, contact us through our website.

Ready to get your hands dirty? We always need volunteers for orchard care, farm operations, and community events.

Want to support our work? Ask about sponsorship opportunities, compost purchases, or how to host an orchard site.