Email to Resurgence Magazine

I read resurgence on a regular basis and sent in a email a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't in the next edition and I didn't even get a response. http://www.resurgence.org/

I was disappointed with the Resurgence edition no 259. "Seeds of change, The future of food" edition. The issue referred to Food, however, no mention was made of Orchards. A picture showing an Apple tree was visible on page 50 with the caption "Nature can be an abundant source of wealth".

Orchards are found all over the world and are used in many ways. Orchards are very versatile and, although food is grown within them, so much more happens. They are a carbon sink, can be used to graze animals, grow other crops, and act as a communal space, they also add to the food security.

Orchards can be very social places, I have attended weddings in orchards, the rise of community orchards is bringing people together. People can live in or around orchards and have done for thousands of years. Orchards have acted as a gathering place for social activities for centuries; an
example in the UK would be wassailing.

Though Britain lost many of its orchards due to the grubbing up of trees in the 60's and 70s, it is now starting to plant new orchards, which makes sense as they absorb carbon and provide seasonal food, which can be gathered and stored or cooked and preserved for use later. The more we plant the better. If you think of a traditional British castle surrounded by woodland much of that woodland would have been orchards. An orchard would have been part of most farmers estates, even if there were only a small number of trees in the garden.

Orchards can contain both fruit and nut trees, in Britain we have Apple, Pear, Cherry, Plum, Apricot, Walnuts, Cob nuts, Almond orchards or plats the list goes on. In more exotic climates you could find local fruits like Mango, Papaya even Guava orchards and again the list is huge.

In the Resurgence edition 259 you also referred to eating less meat, but an orchard is an ideal place for animals, like chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, even cows and horses, depending on the size of trees. They fertilise the ground and help in pest control, chickens, for instance, eat the moths and other pests that could damage the fruit. Using the space for both fruit/nuts and animals is traditional all over the world and a better use of space. Limiting the number of animals is important, but they also provide other valuable resources, milk, wool, feathers, manure, meat, leather and to some extent companions.

Bees are another popular creature to have in the orchard, as they provide a method of pollinating fruit, they provide wax and perhaps a little honey, most orchardists in Britain will leave enough honey stores for bees, as they are providing a service, that of pollinating fruit. Most orchardists also welcome other types of bees like the Bumblebee or the Red Mason bee, which is far more effective at pollinating fruit.

Other crops can be grown within orchards, flowers thrive, crops like borage, comfrey and meadow flowers both encourage wildlife and also put nutrients back into the soil and can be used in food. Orchards also encourage other creatures including insects, birds, rodents and nocturnal animals like bats and badgers.

The wood from the trees is also both usable and can benefit the environment and humans. The noble chaffer is a type of beetle found on decaying apple wood.

Wood from orchards can be used both to create furniture or other useful items or as a source of fuel.

I hope the above points make it clearer why orchards are essential when discussing food and the environment.