Two abandoned orchards are situated on property behind my Escarpment home and I walk through them almost daily. Every spring I am apprehensive - sure that this will be the year they’ll be pulled out. 

For me, these rows of trees stretched against the sky and the wild overgrown grasses have an other- worldliness,  a place where I can breathe and listen and be.  Amongst these sturdy little trees I have had the pleasure of watching and listening to red-winged blackbirds and robins ring in the fresh new season and later, finches, catbirds, mockingbirds and (my favourite) bobolinks-flitting in the wild branches and singing songs of summer.

March, Greenbelt Disaster

oil on panel

6x8in, 2010

Ten years ago when I moved here the orchards were maintained and every season after a stunning show of white blooms, they bore beautiful bartlett pears. In recent years, however, they’ve been left to go fallow because farmers can’t afford to maintain them. Sadly, it’s cheaper to import from China than to compensate farmers for growing fruit in our own back yard!

PLEASE! Buy local and try to buy food that is in season from Local Growers!!!! For more information please visit: Greenbelt Collective