Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The City of Monticello has an exciting project planned to observe Florida Arbor Day in 2023. A public fruit orchard is being planted on a parcel of city-owned property on the corner of N. Waukeenah and E. York streets by the water tower. Formerly the site of the City Barn, this now-empty, sunny lot will become the city's newest park and over time is expected to be further developed with other features such as benches, flower plantings and a grape arbor.
Residents are invited to attend the ceremonial Arbor Day event on Friday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m. At that time, city officials and staff will be planting a variety of cold-hardy citrus trees, including Meyer Lemon, Owari Satsuma Tangerine, Miho Wase Satsuma, Cara Cara Red Navel Orange, Hirando Butan Pummelo, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Meiwa Kumquat.
Monticello has been a Tree City for 35 years and spends anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 a year just on trees and tree maintenance, according to City Clerk Emily Anderson. This year's fruit orchard project is being supported by the Florida Dept. of Health (DOH-Jefferson) as a community health outreach service, spearheaded by local DOH Planner Margaret Levings.
Pam Beck, spokesperson for DOH-Jefferson, said, “We are trying to address diabetes in the community, especially in the minority community. One of the contributing factors to that is lack of access to healthy food. We are trying to increase access to free or low-cost healthy food for this group, or anyone really.”
DOH-Jefferson had some one-time-only funding to address this issue, and Beck says they have used it to purchase fruit trees for the city's project from Just Fruits and Exotics, a nursery in Crawfordville that specializes in varieties that can be successfully grown in our area. They provided information about what fruit trees to plant and how to cultivate them. City Council Member Julie Conley also has been very involved in the vision for the fruit orchard, and resident Lee Terzis is lending a hand with the project as well.
“I am supporting as a volunteer the effort between the city and the county public health department by planning for the planting of the trees and future maintenance,” said Terzis, who lives in the neighborhood where the orchard is being established. “Margaret and I are enthusiastic about the project because it's a piece of property that is serving no purpose and is perfect for growing fruit trees.”
Terzis envisions the day when people strolling or cycling by can stop to enjoy the new park and the fruit growing there.
For more information about the city's Arbor Day 2023 fruit orchard project, contact Anderson at (850) 342-0153.