A pre-harvest gathering

September 8, 2014October 16, 2019 Dan Hoddinott

The streets were alive with enthusiastically curious tree tourists on Aug. 23 as 90 turned out for a two-hour tour through neighbourhoods surrounding Wychwood Barns Park.

Susan Poizner describes attributes of an apple tree at Wychwood Barns Park, and discusses proper care.

Amanda Lowe examines ginko fruit from a tree on Benson Ave.

Local tree enthusiasts gathered at Wychwood Barns Park on Aug. 23 to take part in a two-hour tour of neighbourhood streets, where they got to identify and find out about the million-plus pounds of fruit, nuts and other edibles harvested each year from backyard trees in Toronto.

The group, almost 100 strong, was led by LEAF education coordinator Robyn Stewart, Orchard People director Susan Poizner and community engagement specialist Beck Thomas of Not Far from the Tree.

The walking classroom made the rounds of apple and butternut trees on the park property, and cherry, black walnut and ginko trees on Benson Avenue before heading down to Braemore Gardens for show-and-tell discussions about oaks and their acorns, sugar maples and magnolias, mulberry trees and other interesting finds.

Fruit from a staghorn sumach tree was cause for sharing of an unusual edible at Tyrrel Avenue and Slade Avenue. The group then came upon sour crabapples being picked at Wychwood Avenue and Alcina Avenue, and when the fruit was passed around there was cause for some interesting facial expressions.

Jack the very patient Russell obliged in taking in the entire tour.

Eric Gonzalez, 9, and his brother Diego, 7, were okay with all the talk about acorns, but a bug on the Braemore Gardens sidewalk was what really got their attention.

Becky Thomas gives a dissertation about edible sour crabapples that are being picked at Wychwood Avenue and Alcina Avenue.

Ann Rosenfield can attest to the crabapples being really sour.

It was a pre-harvest sampling for Kathy Walley, left, and Genevieve Rochon-Terry on Aug. 23 as they shared fruit from a staghorn sumach tree at Tyrrel Avenue and Slade Avenue.

Robyn Stewart talks about a butternut tree back at Wychwood Barns Park.

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