Volunteers Plant 50 Different Fruit Trees at Sandywoods Farm

Sandywoods Farm in Tiverton held its orchard planting last weekend, with about 100 people attending. There were 50 trees planted in all.

The artist community placed first in The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation's national fruit tree online voting contest, . They were one of about 130 selected groups from all around the country competing for just 20 free orchards.

According to Russ Smith of Sandywoods, the orchard planting went really well. He said those in attendance were a mix of residents, neighbors, friends and even some people who voted for the orchard in the online contest and were now visiting Sandywoods for the first time.

He said Rico Montenegro, a certified arborist from the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, flew in from California to supervise the planting.

"He stayed with us here at Sandywoods for several days," Smith said in an email.

The orchard now has 24 apple trees (18 Liberty and 6 Honeycrisp), 19 Asian pear trees (15 Shinko and 4 Twentieth Century), 5 Montmorency cherry trees, and 2 Red Haven peach trees. During the event last Sunday, Edy's Ice Cream, the contest sponsor, handed out free fruit bars, T-shirt, tote bags and also gave Sandywoods an engraved orchard bench.  

We chose disease-resistant varieties so that we can do little or no spraying," Smith said. "We expect to begin harvesting fruit within three to four years. All are welcome to visit the orchard."

He said all of the trees were donated by the foundation and Edy's, and came from Prides Corner Farms nursery in Ledyard, CT.   

Smith noted that if you park in the gravel lot at the corner of Muse Way and Meadow View Lane, you can walk a short distance up Meadow View, then follow the footpath that leads to the orhard up on the hill. Questions about the orchard can be directed to Sandywoods resident and volunteer orchard manager Harmony Winters at harmonywintersjewelry@gmail.com.