Palmer Park Orchard Planting

**MSUguy** · April-26-12, 09:10 PM

From People for Palmer Park:

Have a pair of gloves? Come join us on Friday April 26 from 9 am-4 pm, or on Saturday, April 28t, between 10am and 1pm to help plant these trees. We'll need your help to maintain the orchards too! Interested? Join the Preservation and Beautification committee today as you will see first-hand how we are working to create a self-sustaining park that provides recreation, beauty as well as preserve the assets we love such as the log cabin, fountain and even the lake! Email info@peopleforpalmerpark.org

If you have walked the trails lately, you will see where we continue to have a water issue with our beloved forest sitting in water! Working with our neighbors, such as the golf course and the Detroit Water & Sewage Department, we hope to have the water drained to protect the old trees there. You will also see where several dead, dying, insect infested as well as invasive plants have been removed along the trails and around the tennis courts. The wood from these damaged trees will be used as chips for the trails and wood for items such as signs and benches for use by our park visitors. Part of self-sustaining is reusing every item in the park for the park. No material will leave the park

https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/398303346867015/

**stasu1213** · April-26-12, 09:44 PM

I still say that Palmer Park could be as big as Central Park in New York if it was to extend down Hamilton to the Boston Edison district.

**Wheels** · April-26-12, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I still say that Palmer Park could be as big as Central Park in New York if it was to extend down Hamilton to the Boston Edison district.

There is a huge need for funding and volunteers to tend to what is there now and bring it back to it's former glory. So what is your point?

**stasu1213** · April-28-12, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Wheels

There is a huge need for funding and volunteers to tend to what is there now and bring it back to it's former glory. So what is your point?

More jobs would be created if Palmer Park extends itself down Hamilton. It could become a state park that could hire people to keep the grass cut, keep the flowers and ORCHIDS planted and cared for, to plow the snow off the streets and walking/running trails. Many independent enterprenuers could benefit by having there own bike and buggy or horse and buggy that could carry people through the parks That is my point. Detroit was once filled with parks 100 years ago. Read the brochures from that era. It could get back to that concept.

**mwilbert** · April-28-12, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

More jobs would be created if Palmer Park extends itself down Hamilton. It could become a state park that could hire people to keep the grass cut, keep the flowers and ORCHIDS planted and cared for, to plow the snow off the streets and walking/running trails. Many independent enterprenuers could benefit by having there own bike and buggy or horse and buggy that could carry people through the parks That is my point. Detroit was once filled with parks 100 years ago. Read the brochures from that era. It could get back to that concept.

Wiping out the most viable [[admittedly a relative concept) part of Highland Park and the apartment district in the process. It is a good thing this is completely infeasible anyway. I agree with Wheels--let's take care of what we have--Palmer Park is not what it was when I was a kid, and I'd love to see it upgraded. Unfortunately not in town this weekend.

**stasu1213** · April-29-12, 06:37 PM

I was nto saying that Palmer Park should extend down Hamilton street right away. I was speaking future tense. The dilapidated structures on Hamilton Street will be razed sometimes in the future. Make greenspace instead of constructing another building on the site. The homes that are still worth fixing up that are off Hamilton could be renovated and the unsavable homes could be torn down making room for greenspace. Higland Park could really live up to it's name once again as a park like setting that could be an extension of Palmer Park

**ragnarok1981** · April-30-12, 11:43 AM

Ok I don't understand how you extend it that far. You seem to be forgetting that there are a lot of people who live and work in the area you would suggest expanding the park into.
I agree that there are a lot of buildings that need to be razed along Hamilton, but extending the park is not a reasonable alternative.
What needs to happen first is that people need to come out and help revitalize the park and make it a welcoming place for everyone. "The People for Palmer Park" have done an incredible job so far but they have only just scratched the surface. For decades the city has neglected the park and that neglect shows in the rough shape of the park. But the city is not only to blame here, the people of Detroit and the surrounding area have abused the park and treated it like a dump. I would love to take my dogs on the paths in the woods, but I am afraid that they would cut their feet on all the broken glass. I see mounds of debris that have been dumped by people who didnt give a damn about the park and just saw it as a convenient dumping ground. It is going to take a serious effort to clean all the garbage and construction debris out of the woods, and I have to say that it is going to take more than what the PFPP can afford right now. We need a citywide effort to clean Palmer Park, and for that matter the rest of the parks in this city and make them into something we can be proud of, instead of an eyesore that we are afraid of venturing into.

**Strathcona** · May-08-12, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by ragnarok1981

Ok I don't understand how you extend it that far. You seem to be forgetting that there are a lot of people who live and work in the area you would suggest expanding the park into.
I agree that there are a lot of buildings that need to be razed along Hamilton, but extending the park is not a reasonable alternative.
What needs to happen first is that people need to come out and help revitalize the park and make it a welcoming place for everyone. "The People for Palmer Park" have done an incredible job so far but they have only just scratched the surface. For decades the city has neglected the park and that neglect shows in the rough shape of the park. But the city is not only to blame here, the people of Detroit and the surrounding area have abused the park and treated it like a dump. I would love to take my dogs on the paths in the woods, but I am afraid that they would cut their feet on all the broken glass. I see mounds of debris that have been dumped by people who didnt give a damn about the park and just saw it as a convenient dumping ground. It is going to take a serious effort to clean all the garbage and construction debris out of the woods, and I have to say that it is going to take more than what the PFPP can afford right now. We need a citywide effort to clean Palmer Park, and for that matter the rest of the parks in this city and make them into something we can be proud of, instead of an eyesore that we are afraid of venturing into.

Thank you for ending this ridiculous conversation.

**p69rrh51** · May-08-12, 11:44 AM

I drove by the orchard on Sunday. Its looks fabulous! Nice job to everyone who gave their time to create the orchard.

**Big Dan** · June-06-12, 06:15 PM

Hello, all. I'm a new guy on the board and long time resident of Berkley, Pleasant Ridge and Royal Oak. This would be my first post.

This was a hot topic a few days ago, but I've yet to see any information about the orchard itself on the forum or in the media. Was anyone here on the forum in on the planning, or have information about the apple orchard ? Things like cultivars, rootstocks, pruning system, and conventional or organic spray program for starters. I have a few apple trees myself, and knowing how much work mine are, I can only imagine how much work 500-800 trees would be. You guys are mighty ambitious !

**GoGrixdale** · June-06-12, 09:46 PM

hmmm...

..the old operating expenses beast rears its head.

..inedible, bug ridden apples and pears.

..unkempt apple trees are not very pleasing to the eye.

Welcome BD, and a very thought provoking post.

GUSHI · June-06-12, 09:56 PM

I think Bd is 0ding,

**Big Dan** · June-07-12, 07:24 AM

@GG
I don't think that expense is neccesarily the biggest obstacle, labor might be the problem. Once you buy the pruning shears and saws, once you purchase the chems and spray equipment, someone has to get it done. These trees will need to be managed like a commercial orchard if PPP wants to break even and have reasonable clean fruit. It can be done, people do it everyday for a living. I'm really not trying to rain on their parade, I find what PPP is attempting to do, to be very exciting ! I hope this apple project is a total success.

@G
I promise you that I'm not ODing. I haven't touched the stuff since New Years Eve, 1970. It wasn't pretty.

If Oding is another poster on this forum, I'm not him/her. BD is my only account. I almost went to the DY picnic to introduce myself and meet the other members, but I simply didn't have the time. If I make it next year, I'll be the 6'-5", 250#, guy w/ white hair.

**Pam** · June-07-12, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by Big Dan

Hello, all. I'm a new guy on the board and long time resident of Berkley, Pleasant Ridge and Royal Oak. This would be my first post.

This was a hot topic a few days ago, but I've yet to see any information about the orchard itself on the forum or in the media. Was anyone here on the forum in on the planning, or have information about the apple orchard ? Things like cultivars, rootstocks, pruning system, and conventional or organic spray program for starters. I have a few apple trees myself, and knowing how much work mine are, I can only imagine how much work 500-800 trees would be. You guys are mighty ambitious !

There is some info. here:

http://peopleforpalmerpark.org/save-the-apple-orchards/

**Big Dan** · June-07-12, 02:08 PM

Thank you, Pam. That wasn't posted last week when I checked their website.
I'm not sure what to say about Bio-Dynamics. I checked those guys out back in the '80s when my son was born. I didn't want him crawling around in the overspray [[Captan, Benlate & Imidan), so I went looking for an organic program. At the time I didn't have access to a computer, so it was off to John King's and the Mayflower BS. I read some Storl and Pfeiffer, but they lost me when I got to the part where you fill cow's horns with manure and bury them in the ground under the light of a full moon. I understood compost but that was too much. I could never find a straight answer for dealing with codling moths, apple maggots, plum curculio and apple scab. So, to say I'm looking forward to how their BD program works, is an understatement ! I truly wish them/you the best and hope the program is a huge success. I'm willing to learn and incorperate any good practices into my organic program. I'd love to talk to their master gardener/horticulturist, who ever it is.

Later, got to get back to work.