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 18th 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
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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 18th April 2014. The orchard was funded by
the Anstruther Community Kist and Metaflake.
Fruit
|
Variety
|
planted by
|
age and Form
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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 1st 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
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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
- Pittenweem
Road - There is a triangle piece of ground to the rear of Spindrift
Hotel travelling towards Dreel Park -
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bankie
Park - There may be some further opportunity within the Park that will be
discussed with the development group
- 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
Written by Alistair Macleod, Anstruther and District Allotments Association,
July 2017