Anstruthers Edible
Route way 2017
Reintroducing food plants to our environment

Introduction

Foraging for food in our shared environment has been part of our culture and history until relatively recently as public space has become more sterile with the use of non-native and non food plants. Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in growing food within our shared landscape with projects like Incredible Edibles Tormorden and EATS fife leading the way. These projects have been shown to not only provide no-cost and healthy food for the foragers but also stimulate wider health benefits, landscape enhancement and reduce maintenance cost.

The Anstruther and District Allotments Association began the Edible Routway project in 2015 following discussion with Fife Council as the landowner, Waid Academy and the Anstruther Improvements Association. Initially the project sought to replace the loss of trees within our open spaces following substantial losses in 2013 from storm damage and disease (8 trees lost on Dreelside in 2013). Historically Fife has very low tree cover and Anstruther has very little tree cover and no woodland (defined as).

The aim of the scheme was to plant fruit trees and edible plants within the landscape in order to provide a regular, seasonal food source that was easy to maintain whilst adding visual and wildlife value. There are similar community orchard projects in Fife including Buckhaven CLEAR, Newburgh Orchard town and nationally the Commonwealth Orchard Project that are using public orchards to reinvigorate interest in local food and biodiversity.

The 2009 Greenspace audit of the area shows a wide tract of public greenspace running along the northern spine of Anstruther that could be used for planting edible plants and there is opportunity to re-plant now with orchard trees.

Initial partnerships will now be sought from community representative structures and groups interested in our greenspace development including:

• Community Council – In Bloom Group
• Anstruther Primary school and the Wade Academy – Green flag holders
• Anstruther and District Allotments group – support food growing across the area
• 3BCDT – newly formed development trust
• Anstruther Improvement Association
• Bankie Park Development Group

Phase 1  -Dreelside, 2014

Saturday 18^th April

far 15 fruit trees have been planted by the community - 12 apples and 3 plums – plus a variety of berry fruits set within the hedges and un-mowed borders To establish the project and link to the existing food growing space at the Dreelside allotments a first phase of planting is proposed along the linear park that runs from the Allotments to the old train bridge on the Dreel Burn

Phase 1 Site Description

Site Description:
Ownership:	Owned and maintained by Fife Council
Size:	Around 30m wide and 120 m length. Bank runs mainly from north to south
Current Usage	Parkland
Services	Non seen.
Biodiversity:	Mown grass. Mature trees and shrub layer. River bank
Impact on Neighbours	Visual enhancement and screening of industrial unit
Potential Pests / issues	Rabbits inhabit the area. Vandalism will be dealt with by re-planting of 20% per year
Development Potential	None expected

Planting Plan

Planting List

Dreelside offers a good south facing aspect and shelter from most sides except strong westerly winds. A variety of fruit trees and bushes were planted by local residents on the 18^th April 2014. The orchard was funded by the Anstruther Community Kist and Metaflake.

	Fruit	Variety	planted by	age and Form	Rootstock
1	Apple	Cox's Orange Pippin	Rowan	2 yr half standard	MM106
2	Apple	James Grieve	John	1 year Maiden	M25
3	Apple	Lady of Wemyss	Susan	1 year Maiden	MM111
4	Apple	Galloway Pippin	M and R	1 Year Maiden	MM106
5	Apple	Cambusnethan Pippin	Angus	2 Year Half Standard	MM111
6	Apple	Greensleeves	?	2 Year Half Standard	MM106
7	Apple	Sunrise	Rhona	2 Year Half Standard	MM106
8	Apple	Discovery	Angus	2 Year Half Standard	MM106
9	Apple	Egremont Russet	Owen	2 Year Half Standard	MM106
10	Apple	Ashmead's Kernel	JOhn	2 Year Half Standard	MM106
11	Apple	Red Falstaff	Lucy and Shirley	2 Year Half Standard	MM106
12	Apple	Bountiful	B and E	2 Year Half Standard	MM106
13	Plum	Cambridge Gage		2 Year Half Standard	St Julien
14	Plum	Swan		2 Year Half Standard	St Julien
15	Plum	Victoria	Judith	2 Year Half Standard	St Julien
16	Raspberry	Glen Magna
17	Blackcurrant	Ben Nevis		2 Year
18	Redcurrant	Redstart	Reiss, Ethan, Milly and Lucy	2 Year
19	Gooseberry	Invicta	Shirley	2 Year
20	hybrib berry	Tayberry	Rowan
21	Rhubarb	Timperley Early	John
22	Medlar	Royal Medlar	Milly	2 Year
23	Pear	Muirfowl Egg	cllr Riches and Sean	2 Year	pear seedling

Current status

All trees are now well established and thriving. Fruit harvest has been gradually increased over the past 3 harvests in order to aid establishment. This year we expect to leave the trees to crop fully.

The berry bushes within the borders struggled and failed due to competition from vigourous plants around them after a couple of years but the ones within the mowed are continue to thrive.

Phase 2 –Bankie Park 2014

12 Apple trees planted in Bankie Park on 1^st December 2014 by Anstruther Primary, Waid Academy and members of the community

Replanting of 5 lost trees in March 2016

Tree list

site	Variety	rootstock	Age	Planted by
1	Beauty of Moray	M111	1 year maiden	Joel and Rowan
2	“East Lothian Pippin”	m106	1 year maiden	Ethan and Kelly
3	Ashmeads Kernal	m25	2 year standard	Rene and Isla
4	Bloody Plougman	m111	1 year maiden	Esme and Emily
5	Charles Ross	m25	1 year maiden	Graeme
6	Coul Blush	m111	1 year maiden	Harry, Kate and Graham
7	James Grieve	m25	2 year standard	Arran and Jessica
8	Early Julyan	m111	1 year maiden	Ethan and Milly
9	Egremont Russet	m25	2 year standard	Milly, elizabeth, Brodie Alistair
10	Elstar	m1o6	2 year standard	Lilly, Ethan, Carl and Archie
11	Katy	m106	1 year maiden	Georgia, Oliver and Helen
12	Scrumptious	m25	2 year standard	Erin, Beren and Archie
13	Red Windsor	m106	1 year maiden	Euan, Archie

This orchard was made up of just apple trees on vigorous or semi-vigorous root stock. There is a nice mix of old heritage varieties and newer varieties for the more modern sweet tooth! The initial planting took place in early winter which is considered best practice to aid tree establishment. However, this made the trees very vulnerable to vandalism over the winter as they were small and lifeless without leaves on leading to 6 trees being lost.

The replanting in March 2015 took into account the high loss of trees in certain areas and the concerns of a neighbour overlooking the park so that more plating was along the southern edge.

Current Status

Most of the larger trees are now well established especially along the southern edge with the smaller trees towards the centre of the park still suffering from breakages. Fruit harvest has been managed each year to aid establishment and this will continue for 2 more harvests.

Figure 1 Community members replanting Apple trees in Bankie park March 2015

Phase 3 –Queens Gardens 2014

December 2014 - 5 Pear Trees

Queens gardens park has lost a number of trees over the past 5 years through storm damage and management. These young pear trees were planted along the border of the footpath heading towards Pittenweem but are struggling due to the exposed nature of the site and dear stripping the bark. Two trees have replanted since 2014 due to deer damage but the rest struggle on. In retrospect its probably not the best site for pear trees who don’t like windy sites. We will try to plant an 50m edible hedge along the Southern edge of the footpath in the future.

Tree List

Ref	Variety	Root stock	Planted by
15	Beth	Pyrus communis	Kelly Milly Ethan
16	Concorde	Pyrus communis	Shona, Milly
17	Conference	Pyrus communis	Ali, Lucy and Shirley
19	beurre hardy	Pyrus communis	Lucy and Shirley

Anstruther Primary School / “The Tree”

A mini orchard of 7 trees planted on the site of a popular children’s play tree

Background

“The Tree”, as most children and parents refered to it, was a 40 year old sweet chestnut at the centre of a network of dens and natural play features neighbouring Anstruther Primary School. It was very popular with families and childminders as it provided a sheltered site where childminders could monitor their children undertaking games and adventurous natural play after school as well being a popular place for independent play. It was best of relatively few spaces in the area where children could indulge in creative play around trees.

In March 2016 fourteen trees including “The Tree” were chopped down without consultation or warning. Children and parents reacted angrily to the loss of this space. The site was managed by the Anstruther Primary PPP and they appear to have removed the trees due to fear of damage to neighbouring properties even though these were relatively young trees with no indication of movement. 

Figure 3 young trees that replaced "the tree" mature horse chesnut

Tree list

In April 2017 a mini Orchard was planted in the same space by a contractor. This is mixed orchard of cherry, pear and Apple on semi-dwarfing rootstock. TBC

Site	Variety	rootstock	Age	Planted by
1	Pear (Beth)		2 Year	Anstruther Primary PPP
2	Cherry (Stella)		2 Year
3	Apple (Discovery)	M26	2 year
4	Cheery (Sunburst)		TBC
5	Pear (Doyenne de Comice)		TBC
6	Apple (Discovery)		TBC

Future work

With 40 fruit trees now having being planted within the greenspaces of Anstruther there is a need to publicise the opportunities for local people to harvest fruit and take part in fruit tree care. This will be done by setting up a Facebook site and running community harvesting events along with training around pruning and tree care over the next year.

New sites

Potential sites for further work from 2017 have been identified through the creation of a multi-use path. A number of sites along the path are suitable for small edible routes plantings that could incorporate wildflowers as well as low maintenance shrub areas.

·       Edible Hedge Planting in Queens Park – late 2017

·       Edible hedge planting in Dreelside meadows – late 2017

Further sites to be investigated in consultation with public include

1. Pittenweem Road  - There is a triangle piece of ground to the rear of Spindrift Hotel travelling towards Dreel Park -

2. Dreel Park – Small triangle space suitable for small berry bushes. It would take a larger tree but might be hard to establish given urban setting and potential damage. – Investigate for planting late 2017 or early 2018
3. Cellardyke Church - To the North of the Path there is space between the Path and the wall and that space widens at the '3500mm' sign – Path in and ready to plant in that area - – Investigate for planting late 2017 or early 2018.

4. Kilrenny Cycle Route - Opportunity along the whole of the route for edible hedgerow avoiding plants that produce thorns that might puncture tyres when pruned. Develop later as route develops.
5. Bankie Park - There may be some further opportunity within the Park that will be discussed with the development group
6. Anstruther Industrial Estate path proposed but not approved. Sites along the route to be investigated once details are firmed up.

REFERENCES

http://www.crispinwhayes.com – Orchards of Fife’s Tay Coast

Fife Edile and Tasty Spaces project

Incredible Edibles Tormorden

Written by Alistair Macleod,  Anstruther and District Allotments Association, July 2017