Local Ranch Hopes to "Take Root" with New Orchard

On this Earth Day, one local organization is hoping to expand their environmental impact not just for the holiday, but throughout the year. , on Purissima Creek Road, is one of 120 organizations vying to get a new fruit orchard through a contest sponsored by Dreyer’s Fruit Bars and the non-profit Fruit Tree Planting Foundation.

In its second year, the “Communities Take Root” program will award brand new fruit orchards to 20 communities across the United States, and Elkus Ranch is hoping to be one of them.

Dreyer’s Fruit Bars spokesperson Julie Lyons said that the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, which is working in conjunction with Dreyer’s for “Communities Take Root” for the second year in a row, helped select the 120 finalists for the contest, which include organizations like food banks and community farms. She said that nationwide voting will decide which 20 organizations end up receiving orchards.

“Both Dreyer’s and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation will be involved in the planting event,” she said, explaining that once the winners are selected, an arborist will work with volunteers from both organizations, as well as from the community, to plan the trees and establish care plans.

Lyons explained that the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation works toward a goal of environmental sustainability and eliminating world hunger by providing fresh fruit, while, in a contest press release, Dreyer’s said that it was committed to preserving and “revitalizing one of our most precious resources: fruit trees.”

Elkus Ranch, which is owned by the University of California system, provides its own lessons in sustainability and green living. According to Kathi Baxter, Environmental Science Educator at Elkus Ranch, the ranch hosts local youth on a daily basis, giving them hands-on experience in nature and sustainable living through visits where children can observe and perform a variety of farming tasks, from planting seedlings to shearing sheep.

Baxter said that about half of the services and day trips the ranch provides are designed specifically for special needs and low income students.

“We aim to provide environmental opportunities to children with special needs,” she said, adding that most children visit the ranch during school field trips.

Baxter explained that the ranch originally applied for a grant for an orchard last year, but was told eventually that the previous application had been misplaced. After waiting a year, however, Elkus employees and volunteers learned earlier this year that they had been selected as a finalist in the “Communities Take Root” contest for 2011.

Baxter said that a new orchard would be a crucial addition to the ranch because it would provide a missing component to the organization’s daily lessons.

“On their second visit [to the ranch] kids can harvest everything they can out of the garden and use it to make lunch,” she said, explaining how children learn about using the bounty of the land through Elkus’ “Lunch at the Ranch” program. “We’ve always had vegetables, but not much fruit.”

Along with her colleagues and local recipients of services, Baxter is hoping to spread the word about online voting for orchard winners. She said that, as of this week, Elkus Ranch was in fourth place in voting among all 120 competing groups, but that since voting continues all through the summer, they must maintain a steady stream of votes to stay in the race.

“Communities Take Root” will announce the first five winners on June 5, after the initial voting round culminates. After that, Baxter explained, they will announce rounds of five winners on the first of the next three months, with the last five being decided by September 1. She said that anyone who wants to help the cause can cast one vote per day from now to the end of August. Click here to vote for your favorite organization.