LAURA REINSBOROUGH'S VISION

BY JENNA CHARLTON
Photographs courtesy of Not Far From The Tree

Fruit trees grow everywhere in Toronto. You’ve more than likely noticed spoiled crabapples and rotted plums on sidewalks, or brushed past raspberry bushes on an evening stroll. The city is teeming with fruit trees, but we rarely think of the potential of the fruit, which is often viewed by homeowners as a nuisance.

What to do when the trees in your yard bear more fruit than you can handle? Laura Reinsborough, founder of the not-for-profit organization Not Far From The Tree, has come up with a solution, and is changing the way Toronto residents think about the city’s abundant fruit trees.

Not Far From The Tree is working to break down the fruit-tree barriers. Rather than seeing our local fruit trees as a burden, the organization is attempting to instill a sense of pride in these trees by teaching Torontonians that the fruit in their backyards is healthful, easily accessible, good to eat – and can provide local produce for those in need.

Two summers ago, Reinsborough, then completing a Master's degree in Community Arts for Environmental Education, approached Cookie Roscoe Handford, manager of the The Stop’s Green Barn Farmers’ Market (at that time, the Wychwood Farmers’ Market) about volunteer opportunities. It was suggested that the abundance of apples growing at the Spadina Museum orchards could be picked and sold at the Saturday market, with proceeds going back to the museum’s orchards to support organic pest control methods. Having recently studied a Los Angeles fruit-picking project called Fallen Fruit, Reinsborough jumped at the opportunity.

Picking the museum orchard’s apples in 2007 opened Reinsborough’s eyes to the number of fruit trees on residential properties throughout her neighbourhood, many of which never got harvested. And being at the market gave her the chance to connect with local residents who always had stories about the trees in their backyards. Reinsborough relates that, “Having a presence at the Green Barns was helpful. People would come by and talk about their fruit trees. Many people just had a piece of knowledge they wanted to share.”

With thoughts of the numerous urban residential fruit-picking projects in operation around the globe, Reinsborough decided to host a potluck meeting for a group of people who had expressed interest in a Toronto-based project. Thirty residents met around her kitchen table to discuss and brainstorm ideas. What resulted was the foundation for Not Far From The Tree, a project which quickly gained momentum. By the end of the 2008 fruit-growing season, Not Far From The Tree had registered 140 residential trees, 250 volunteers, and a harvest of over three thousand pounds of fruit. And all of this with almost no funding except for a small pocket of cash from Carrot Cache for equipment; all other supplies and labour were donated.

In contrast with the gleaning program at the Spadina Museum orchards, which Not Far From The Tree now coordinates, the residential fruit picked by volunteers has a three-way distribution model, with one-third going to the trees’ owners, one-third to the volunteer pickers, and the remaining one-third to community local-food programs. None of the fruit picked from the registered trees is sold at the Green Barn Farmers’ Market.

As the project grew, so did Reinsborough’s realization that the development of a sustainable organization required a firm foundation, and she decided to focus the project in one specific area of Toronto, Ward 21, the area that encompasses the Spadina orchard and the Wychwood Barns. Guidelines were established for gleaning the fruit to ensure safe fruit for food programs. Reinsborough elaborates that, “We do not donate any fruit that has fallen off the tree or is accidentally dropped while picking. We have also established rules for picking: there is no shaking of trees. No damage should be done to the tree.”

The program’s roots have proven effective and there are plans to expand to neighbourhoods across the city. This year, the project will be spreading to East York and Parkdale. With the expansion plans has come increased funding, from the city’s Live Green Toronto, the province’s Community Go Green Fund, and several private donations. Not Far From The Tree is also thinking big: The organization, in partnership with Growing for Green, another community program, has developed a proposal for a new urban orchard. (Read the following article for more information on this new community orchard, which has received city approval.)

Reinsborough acknowledges that the City of Toronto had been somewhat leery about planting fruit trees, seeing them as a possible liability. Still the ideas were there and communication ensued. The city and its residents are becoming enlightened to the possibilities of fruit harvests. And, in light of the current recession, people need to be aware of, and have access to, healthy, sustainable food systems.

In addition to being a logical and useful urban agriculture project, Not Far From The Tree builds on community. There has been a swell of momentum surrounding the program, bringing together people not just in Ward 21 but from across the city and surrounding areas. Fruit-picking in the city becomes a community event – going into a yard, picking the fruit and cleaning up the yard, and then providing those in need with access to fresh local produce.

Reinsborough says that the program “just makes sense. There’s an existing source of fruit, and [some] people have a hard time getting fresh fruits in their diet.” She goes on to stress that, “One of the most important parts of the program is getting people to recognize and understand that this fruit is edible.” The soil in Toronto, with the exception of a few areas, is not toxic. Trees will grow and thrive anywhere.

There are some areas of the city that might hold some contaminated soil, but Reinsborough is working on that, too. As Not Far From The Tree moves to different parts of the city, it may be necessary to check for soil toxicity levels; this is all part of having a sustainable program. There needs to be a “flexible model so you can move into different neighbourhoods. We need to work with neighbourhood organizations so we can approach different areas and integrate Not Far From The Tree into established programs.”

There is no doubt that the project will grow. It has a strong foundation and eager volunteers and has brought together communities while providing an alternative to how we view the city’s trees and green spaces. The key will be in overcoming mental barriers. This is starting to happen, as there is increasing recognition of the city’s potential to incorporate fruit into its local food-security network. Besides, says volunteer Jeevs Sinclair, “What could be better than climbing trees and picking fruit?”

Not Far From The Tree:
www.notfarfromthetree.org

Growing for Green:
www.growingforgreen.ca

Ben Nobleman Park Orchard Project:
www.communityorchard.wordpress.com

Jenna Charlton, formerly a youth services librarian, now works in communications. As the mother of two, she has an increasing interest in helping her children learn about the food they eat, where it comes from, and how it’s grown. Jenna participates in CSA and OSA food-box programs and is expanding her knowledge of urban agriculture and organic gardening.

© Edible Toronto, Summer 2009
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