One thing I haven’t discussed with a lot of people is my motivation for starting this project. Redbud Orchard is really an intersection of two things that I love: community and gardening. The south side of Fort Wayne is riddled with vacant lots owned by the Allen County Community Development Corp. As such, there are no property taxes being paid on them. I just got my first tax bill in the mail this week. Our Spring payment is $115.22 and the Fall payment is $55.22. Second behind the City, these payments help support Fort Wayne Community Schools. Additionally, we will pay the whopping $10 annual dues to our neighborhood association here. So by simply owning this lot and caring for it properly, I’m making a difference for Fort Wayne students and the Fairfield Terrace-Belmont Neighborhood.
Is it naïve to think the girls will bring their friends here to have bonfires? A mom can dream cant she?
Aside from that, I want this to be a multi-generational property. A couple years ago I visited a large scale orchard with my family and talked to the owners about how the trees had been passed down from multiple generations and was enamored with the thought of doing something similar. Our kids likely wont be inheriting waterfront properties or millions of dollars but this, this we could do. Because we live in a historic neighborhood our lot is relatively small and houses are close together. So growing fruit trees at our primary residence wasn’t a viable option but I also didn’t want to leave my general area. So Redbud Orchard is allowing me to have the best of both worlds. I get to stay in my awesome neighborhood and we have a large urban lot to put roots down in. It brings me a lot of joy to imagine us enjoying this beautiful space with our families and friends for many many years to come.
Mac’s first visit to the Orchard! And the fire pit area is ready to fill with pea gravel.
I’ve chosen to install native plants because after they are fully established they will not need supplemental water. Unless I decide to add a frost free waterline to the property, I will have to haul it in myself. So limiting what actually needs water will be a great benefit. Additionally, native plants and landscapes are far and few between in urban settings. Adding a prairie to the property will benefit native pollinators and my apple trees will reap the rewards. Win, win, win.
Lastly, I’d love to see all of these municipal owned lots reclaimed by average citizens to: expand the footprint of their existing homes by buying the lot next door, grow food, start a beautification project or simply keep the lots free and clear of trash and debris and maintain the sidewalks. Sometimes we have to think outside the box to create forward momentum and positive changes in our communities. It starts with us, from the ground up.