Apricot season is right here, and West Valley residents can come decide their very own fruit on the Heritage Orchard later this month.
The second annual neighborhood harvest on the orchard is scheduled for Saturday June 18, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., metropolis officers stated.
“I’m thrilled the Metropolis of Saratoga might be internet hosting its second annual Group Harvest, bringing our residents collectively within the Heritage Orchard to select scrumptious Blenheim apricots and get a style of the town’s agricultural previous,” Mayor Tina Walia stated in an electronic mail. “This occasion jogs my memory of a few of my fondest experiences as a baby, and I stay up for seeing the enjoyment on the faces of others as they discover the orchard close to their houses. Based mostly on the success of the primary neighborhood harvest final 12 months, Saratoga households and youngsters are desirous to proceed this custom.”
The town will present one-gallon buckets for fruit pickers, although individuals are inspired to deliver their very own containers in the event that they want to deliver extra ‘cots dwelling with them.
Saratoga held its first-ever neighborhood harvest final 12 months, drawing in lots of of residents to the Heritage Orchard to select fruit. Metropolis Council voted earlier this 12 months to make it a requirement of the orchard upkeep contract holders to host a neighborhood “you-pick” occasion for residents.
Saratoga can be working with Village Harvest, a nonprofit volunteer group that picks fruit throughout the Bay Space and donates it to meals banks. A portion of this 12 months’s harvest might be donated to the meals banks and people in want.
The town first partnered with the nonprofit in 2020, when neighborhood volunteers helped decide and donate greater than 6,000 kilos of fruit to native meals banks.
The neighborhood harvest comes only one month after the orchard’s upkeep contract was awarded to Orchard Keepers, a Santa Cruz-based landscaping firm. Orchard Keepers has been working the orchard since 2020, and focuses on soil regeneration. Novakovich Orchards held the contract with the city for greater than 30 years earlier than it was awarded to Orchard Keepers.
Novokovich Orchards produced dried apricots that have been obtainable on the market year-round in the neighborhood. Matt Novakovich stated that by drying the fruit, fewer apricots are wasted as a result of recent apricots ripen too rapidly to be donated or distributed in time.
The well being of the orchard has been a high concern for the town council. Almost 400 timber died during the last decade from the drought and different elements, and the remaining timber are prone to an oak root fungus outbreak and gopher infestation.
Saratoga has a deep agricultural historical past. The West Valley was dwelling to a number of fruit orchards and vineyards, and was as soon as recognized to supply a 3rd of the world’s annual prune harvest.
The town designated the Heritage Orchard in 1984 to rejoice and protect the world’s historical past. It was designated as a Heritage Landmark by the town in 1988. It's now one of many few remaining orchards within the Bay Space and contains plum, apricot and cherry timber.
The Heritage Orchard is positioned at 13777 Fruitvale Ave. Parking for the Group Harvest is offered at Metropolis Corridor, 13777 Fruitvale Ave., or at Saratoga Library, 13650 Saratoga Ave.