Planting public access orchard on Randall's Island Park - Come help!

Not all things Newtown are dirty. activist & avid boater Erik Baard, is happy to invite you to a wonderful event tying together the Newtown Creek, Randalls Island, and our city's green future.

On Wednesday, April 28, at 4PM will be planted NYC's first public access orchard! This 40-tree orchard will include Newtown Pippins and other apple varieties (mostly heirloom) at Randall's Island Park.

Please attend as a planter or to cheer them on at this historic occasion at beautiful Randall's Island Park! Supervised children are welcome! Indeed, we scheduled this event to be after school hours so that parents and program coordinators might bring them. As some of you know, I've been working toward this dream for a few years, so please forgive my excitement in sharing this invitation.

SCHEDULE:

330PM: Meet at the Icahn Stadium entrance and walk to the orchard grounds (they're hard to find on your own).

Directions to Icahn Stadium:

http://www.icahnstadium.org/Directions/Directions.htm

4PM: Remarks by officials and partners in the Newtown Pippin Restoration and Celebration (http://www.newtownpippin.org).

4:15PM: Begin planting the trees under guidance from the Randall's Island Park horticulturalist Phyllis Odessey, with assistance from other experts.
The holes are already dug.

5PM: Conclude and clean up.

5:15PM: Depart.

NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and Randall's Island Sports Foundation will provide shovels and gloves. These trees are included in the MillionTreesNYC program.

They will also use this gathering to form a Friends volunteer group (with a sign-up list) for the Randall's Island Park orchard to ensure that these trees are watered and otherwise receive care and attention. They should have first fruits by 2015 and a full harvest by 2020. When the trees are mature, the orchard will be open. Paddlers and rowers will be able to land, stroll over to pick fruit (I'm working with allies to plant other edible species on the island and throughout the harbor), and continue on their way. This will be a delight for ourselves and generations to come!
Not all things Newtown are dirty. I'm happy to invite you to a wonderful event tying together the Newtown Creek, Randalls Island, and our city's green future.

SCHEDULE:

330PM: Meet at the Icahn Stadium entrance and walk to the orchard grounds (they're hard to find on your own).

Directions to Icahn Stadium:

http://www.icahnstadium.org/Directions/Directions.htm

(Naturally, I fully support paddling or rowing to Randalls Island, and there are a few reasonable landing points.)

4PM: Remarks by officials and partners in the Newtown Pippin Restoration and Celebration (http://www.newtownpippin.org).

4:15PM: Begin planting the trees under guidance from the Randall's Island Park horticulturalist Phyllis Odessey, with assistance from other experts.
The holes are already dug.

5PM: Conclude and clean up.

5:15PM: Depart.

NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and Randall's Island Sports Foundation will provide shovels and gloves. These trees are included in the MillionTreesNYC program.

Location