PORT TOWNSEND — Forty-six students, teachers and community members celebrated Blue Heron Middle School’s orchard’s eighth birthday in a show of volunteerism.
In two hours, using wheelbarrows and shovels, they moved 90 cubic yards of fertilizer and mulch to spread around the 70 apple, pear, plum, fig and Asian pear trees of the orchard.
Each tree received biochar, donated by Olympic Biochar, then three wheelbarrow loads of washed manure provided by Roger and Bill Short of Short’s Family Farm.
This was followed by two wheelbarrow loads of alder chips per tree donated by Shold Landscaping, and then 50 cubic yards of hemlock-fir mulch donated by Hermann Brothers of Port Angeles.
The Port Townsend Food Co-op provided a $500 matching grant to fund the orchard for the year, according to a news release.
To make a donation toward the match or to help take care of the orchard, contact Seth Rolland at 360-379-0414 or seth rolland@gmail.com
For more information about the orchard, visit sites.google.com/site/blue heronschoolorchard.
