Meadow Lakes brings orchard idea to ‘fruition’

Tucked in a little corner of Meadow Lakes, volunteers gathered, bringing their shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows all in the name of planting a new orchard to help bring fruit to tables within the community.

Ariel Cannon, President of the Meadow Lakes Community Development, said that he was inspired to create the project after seeing a grant application through the USDA last spring, and the idea came to ‘fruition’ from there.

“The state’s division of agriculture had the grant program, ‘Micro Grants for Food Security,’ and we got that grant, along with another grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, as well as the United Way, which is how we’re able to do this,” said Cannon.

“I think this is a fantastic idea. It’s had amazingly good reception because a lot of people have been asking what’s happening with all the equipment and fences, and every time I tell them we’re building an orchard, people get real excited,” says Camden Yehle, President of the Meadow Lakes Community Council (MLCC), who was digging holes while her son Jack was helping plant some of the fruit trees.

The project relies heavily on the volunteer efforts from the people of Meadow Lakes, young and old, who have volunteered the time, effort, and sheep when needed. Especially when the field that was chosen as the best spot for the orchard proved too much for a rototiller.

“The man running the machine came to us and said he had a different idea, and asked if he could bring his sheep over to mow the field down, and just like that we had 15 sheep here to browse the field down,” recounts Yehle. “It would have been quite the planting project without that.”

There was also worry about what to do about moose who might find the orchard too tempting a treat to pass up. Cannon and crew have installed a tall fence around the property, also applying some Alaskan resourcefulness to keep costs down.

“That was the main expense of the grant, that being the materials. We were able to hire a contractor to erect all the fence posts, get them lined and braced, it’s pretty stout. And then we had rolls of fencing left over from the field and park development, so we were able to get it done,” says Cannon.

Yehle added that a berm left from constructing the ballfields years ago provided the top soil needed to go on top of the ground and help nourish the trees and bushes.

“We had this cache of top soil right there, just waiting for something, so we didn’t need to get top soil. Just a tractor to move it. And just like that, we were ready for planting.”

Once the trees get a little mature and start bearing fruit, the community will be invited to share in the bounty, although first dibs will go to the volunteers helping to build the orchard.

“Eventually, they will produce more than enough for everyone. We’ll have open days when everything’s ripe and let people in.”

The orchard consists of 20 apple trees, several Evans cherry bush trees, apricot trees, golden raspberries, and Cannon says they are still trying to get several other bush cherry varieties.

Volunteers will continue to assist with the project, making sure the young plants will be watered and maintaining the orchard over the fall and winter season. Meanwhile, everyone is excited to see what the trees ‘produce.’

“It’s exciting, we have a great spot for it, and it fills a need.”

For more information about the MLCC, please visit www.mlccak.org