Sharing the load

Last Sunday we went out to a working bee at an orchard as part of our Central West Permaculture activities - the first for a while as we come out of another Orange winter.
 

It was almost too late to do much but this was an orchard in need of some care and pruning - and it's owner had recently lost her husband and was finding it all too overwhelming to look after.

Not sure how many trees we did - but everyone got on with the job.  We pruned apricots, plums, cherries, quinces, apple, medlars, persimmons, peaches, nectarines - and probably more types fruit trees that we could not identify.  The trees - although possibly not having large crops this year will certainly be bouncing back for the next year or two.  We trimmed out crowded branches and tidied up suckers from around the base of the the trees and generally made the trees so that we could reach the fruit when it does grow.

It was a great day and gave us a chance to chat and learn from each other and we are already planning a jam making / preserving day when the crops return.