BINGARA U3A HAS A FRUITFUL DAY

A number of years ago Vision 20/20 organised a project to plant fruit trees on the north east corner of the Living Classroom at the junction of Cunningham and West Streets. Bingara families were invited to fund a fruit tree and there is a plaque on the site with the names of those who took up the invitation.

Last Friday, some Bingara U3A members had a very fruitful morning learning how to prune fruit trees, making a start on those Family Fruit Trees. Our guides were Warren and Bronwyn from Greenhill Orchards near Armidale. Greenhill Orchards is where Fresh Finds in Bingara sources apples and pears.

Warren explained that he likes his trees to be calm. The way to calm them is to choose a leader and then promote the lateral shoots which produce the fruit. This enables the fruit bearing stems to have room for the fruit and also grows the fruit at a good height for picking. The pears in the Family Fruit Trees were a very good example of “uncalm” trees as they had multiple, extremely vigorous shoots heading off towards the heavens at a height that made them difficult to prune let alone to pick from.

It really was quite challenging to look at a pear tree and think where on earth do you start but Warren started on one and all of a sudden it all looked easy and the tree was transformed into exactly what Warren had explained.

Members then tidied up many of the trees but the rest will have to wait for another day. Bingara U3A thanks Warren and Bronwyn and also Mandy and Jenny for putting us in touch with them.

Greenhill Orchards added the following: “If you have followed our family orchard story for a while, you’ll know there is always something to do on the farm. Its a year-long, seasonal, hands-on, labour of love to grow nutritious fruit. So a day out is rare, and this visit to Bingara on Friday was delightful.

Warren shared some pruning tips with the Bingara U3A in a community planting of fruit trees near the Living Classroom, with perfect weather for an outdoor workshop. Thanks to Ros for organising, and the kind welcome with good coffee. (We can recommend Imperial Hotel, Bingara for a great lunch, too!)

And we were able to make a personal fruit delivery to Mandy and Jenny at their colourful fruit shop Fresh Finds Bingara. Just happened to be their first birthday.

We said hello to Sam at the Sapphire Salt Cave, and then stopped for a stunning panorama at the Lookout before heading home. Managed to miss all the roos and deer, both coming and going.

It is the people, and their connections, who make communitieslocal groups, volunteers and small businesses supporting each other. It was good to see you all, and we’re grateful for your interest in our local fruitgrowing story.”