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Register your tree for picking

Make a difference by sharing your bounty with the community.

Join our picking team

Register to help pick fruit & leave with your own share!

Location
601 Christie St. Suite 255 Toronto, ON M6G 4C7
Phone Number 416-658-0724
Email info@notfarfromthetree.org

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Making the most of these warm fall days as the sea

Making the most of these warm fall days as the season winds down for the year. 🍂🌞

Thanks for everything! We are so happy to have been able to go ahead with the picking season and it’s been a great success in light of all that’s going on! 🍁🥰

Why do you pick fruit? What drives you to get outside? Let us know! We hope you’re enjoying some sunshine today!

𝗣𝗮𝘄𝗽𝗮𝘄𝘀 are a rare treat in T

𝗣𝗮𝘄𝗽𝗮𝘄𝘀 are a rare treat in Toronto! Not widely known, they are also called Kentucky bananas or custard apples. They are not commercially grown anywhere, and have a native range within eastern North America. Pawpaws are green when ripe, but some varieties can lighten to a yellow colour. They are oval-shaped, and have a length of 3-6 inches when mature, which is similar in size to a small mango. When cut open pawpaws have two rows of brown lima bean-shaped seeds and the insides have a white to creamy yellow colour. 🥭🏝

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸: The fruit gives in to soft pressure, much like a peach. The fruit smells fragrant and tastes like a mix of mango, pineapple, and banana. When you cut into the fruit, it will have a custard-like texture and a yellow centre.👌

𝗘𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀: Pawpaws need to be processed or eaten right away, as their shelf life is quite short. Cut the fruit in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon, like you would with a kiwi. 🥄

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀: Pawpaws do not have a long shelf life and can go from ripe to rotten within a few days. Pawpaws give off a gas called ethylene that causes nearby fruits and vegetables to ripen more quickly, so keep this in mind when finding a place to store them. When the pawpaws start to develop brown spots or lighten in colour its time to eat them right away or put them in the fridge to extend their shelf life for a few more days. Make breads, pies, sorbet/ice cream, muffins, and drinks or eat it as is! 🍞🥧🍦🥮🍹

So, we managed to pick over 10,000 pounds of fruit

So, we managed to pick over 10,000 pounds of fruit this season! And what a way to begin wrapping things up with an apple pick that yielded over 500 lbs from just two trees! 🌳🍎

We had a huge donation and just couldn’t believe the bounty growing in Toronto’s urban orchard. There were so many apples we couldn’t get them to fit in the frame! 🏋️‍♂️🌇

What’s the biggest pick you’ve been on to date? Sharing is caring!

In celebration of the last day of summer before th

In celebration of the last day of summer before the Autumn Equinox…
We’d like to congratulate all of you for helping pick over TEN THOUSAND POUNDS of fruit this summer and put it to good use. That’s a lot of fruit! 🍎🎉

Toronto yields such an abundant urban fruit harvest that despite this large amount, it’s hardly a dent in the total amount of fruit that grows in the city! 🏋️‍♂️🌆

Help us spread the word about what we do and let’s increase this number next season! There’s no better time to come volunteer and learn about local food. It’s a great chance to spend some (socially distanced) time outdoors and make an impact locally. 📢🤍

What’s been the best part of this season for you? Let us know!

(PSA: No apples were wasted in the making of this photo!)