Fruit trees. Why go far and wide to find what nature can offer us everywhere?

It’s a bit like rediscovering their magical powers. Fruit trees can feed us, beautify our gardens and towns, provide shade and capture our CO2. In Morbiahn, associations and elected officials defend and pay tribute to apple trees, pear trees, and other plum and cherry trees, etc.

Cric… Croc… At the foot of the tree, Clovis and Eliott are enjoying themselves. During their walk, the two children and their mother stopped at the foot of an apple tree in the town. One hand to bite, another to pick up. Their bag fills up very quickly. In pie, crumble, compote or even in the oven. They love apples and revel in this boon, free fruit that everyone can harvest. “They are much better than the ones in the store.“

Since 1998, the Guidel town hall has planted a tree for the birth of each child in the town. “This demonstrates our desire to see children and their parents put down roots in the community.explains Jo Daniel, the mayor, and it’s also a way of encouraging them to care about nature.” In a few years, 2,500 trees were planted. Guidel has become the largest municipal orchard in France.

In the past, says the chosen one, “Guidel was the orchard of the region of Lorient and Quimperlé. We supplied all their inhabitants with apples and cider. Today, families can access the orchard and their apples for free, it’s a gift that we are giving to the residents.”

In Lanester, at the foot of the buildings, we also plant cherry trees, apple trees, plum trees, pear trees. Marianne Loubière, animation manager of the Optim’ism association is currently digging a hole to install a kiwi tree. “NWe seek to create nourishing zones to allow everyone to eat well and better understand nature. When we pick cherries in June, we remember when they are ripe, it’s important to give space to seasonality.”

All plantings are done with the locals, who also help with pruning and maintenance.
Benches and tables have been installed. One day, families will be able to sit there to play, picnic or read in the shade of the trees they have planted. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now“, says a Chinese proverb. A way of saying that to plant a tree is to trust in the future.

At Véronica, the apple trees are already a few years old and this year, they are giving! Much, much too much! She has baked cakes and pies but she will never be able to eat them all.
It is therefore the volunteers of the Aux Arbres Citoyens association who take care of picking the fruit.

“It’s a gesture of solidarity and anti-wastedetails Alice Lorentz, member of the association. We started from a double observation, there are people who have fruit trees in their gardens which they do not use and there are people who lack fruits and vegetables in their everyday diet.

The association was created in La Rochelle. In Brittany, it already has 72 members and has carried out around a dozen harvests in private gardens.

That day, Aux Arbres Citizens delivered around ten crates and around a hundred kilos of apples to the Food Bank. It’s great, says Bernard Mahé, one of the volunteers. Our beneficiaries are more numerous every day (6,000 per month) and they need a good balanced diet. This year, he hopes to be able to distribute a ton of fruit to them.

Fruit trees would therefore be an opportunity to green up our cities, offer us islands of freshness as the planet heats up, allow us to meet and feed ourselves. The writer Marc Gendron is convinced of this, “the universe is summed up in an apple core!”