Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
There’s nothing like eating an apple freshly picked from a tree.
Now, imagine a cluster of apple, pear and peach trees planted throughout the county, ready to share their fruits for free.
That’s the concept that sparked Anne Walker, owner of Handmade WV Market in Marlinton, to apply for a grant to create an edible landscape in Pocahontas County.
Walker received an Amex Shop Small Grant which she plans to use to purchase trees and berry bushes to plant in public places for locals and visitors to enjoy.
“People are always talking about eating local and having access to fresh, clean fruits and vegetables,” she said. “I thought it would be a neat experience for people to have an edible landscape.”
Say you come to town, park at the Marlinton Depot and take a bike ride to Sharp’s Tunnel and back. As you arrive back to the Depot, there will be trees in the green space where you can pluck an apple, pear or peach, take a seat and relax while you enjoy a snack.
In addition to providing free fruit to the community, Walker sees this as an opportunity to preserve heirloom varieties, as well as educate people about the different varieties of fruits.
“We’re not going to be able to maintain an orchard, but we will have some heirloom trees,” she said. “I thought it would be a neat way – particularly with the apples – to preserve in a public way those heirloom varieties like Wolf River. Everybody talks about how they love Wolf River apples.”
With the grant funding, Walker said she plans to purchase 15 of each pear, apple and peach trees and blueberry bushes, strawberry plants and cherry tomato plants.
Walker has already reached out to several places to plant trees, including local schools, communities and businesses.
“Two schools have committed that they will take a peach, a pear and an apple tree,” she said. “Marlinton Middle and Hillsboro Elementary. Linwood Alive wants a few trees, too.”
In addition to providing free fruit to the area, Walker hopes to provide educational courses for those interested in learning how to can or how to prune fruit trees.
For the berry bushes and plants, Walker said she plans to work with the Marlinton Woman’s Club to plant the blueberry bushes in the flower planters around Marlinton. She is also working with Discovery Junction to construct two planters for the strawberries and cherry tomatoes.
The goal is to provide fresh fruits to anyone and everyone – visitors who need a snack, locals who would like to can but don’t need a full bushel; a restaurant wanting to bake a pie.
“It will be a nice addition to the town,” Walker said.
The grant was funded by American Express and Main Street America.
A total of 505 small businesses nationwide received a $20,000 grant to help them grow, innovate and support their local communities.
