Post-planting, we had to prioritize establishing a water collection system for the plants after another irrigation system for the space had fell through. We chose to make 4 rain barrel collections (see one of them below). These systems will supply the plants with irrigation for many years to come.

The planting event was a beautiful coming together of community in the West End and we plan to purchase more plants to bolster the orchard in future plantings this fall and winter!

The first planting was a success! We are now working on setting up irrigation through rain collection.

Timeline: This project will be split up into multiple phases. The first planting (Phase 1) will occur on Earth day (April 22nd). Our team will meet at the planting site with volunteers and community members to install our first round of fruit plants. We plan to make the planting event an educational space for people to learn how to plant fruit plants, play some soccer, and enjoy themselves with friends and family. Our Phase 2 will occur in the fall when it is ideal conditions for fruit tree planting. This phase will establish an orchard with larger more established fruit trees.

Budget: Currently, 89% of the budget is projected to be spent on plant material alone. The last 11% will be spent towards rainwater collection to irrigate the orchard. This ratio may be shifted slightly more towards rainwater collection.

COVID-19 Safety Plan: All projects will be held outdoors where we can all be mindful of safe social distancing.

Expected Impact: The community will be directly involved with the establishment of the orchard, the harvesting of the bounty, and the distribution of the fruit. Beyond the value of the future harvest, we will be expanding Garden FC’s curriculum to also include fruit plants when teaching students about self-sustainability.

We will be implementing an Orchard in partnership with Garden FC, Soccer in the Streets, and MARTA (Atlanta's Public Transit system). The orchard will be on MARTA property and is a meeting place for the West End neighborhood to play sports, garden, or relax with friends. Garden FC utilizes the shared space for planting herbs and veggies, with all collected food circling back into the community. The orchard will further bolster Garden FC's ability to supply local and fresh food to the neighborhood. We plan to separate the planting into multiple phases of fruit installation. Each installation will be educational plantings for people to learn about tree planting. By the end, the West End will have a robust system of fruiting trees and shrubs.