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Three people planting a tree together

The Edible Arbor Walk Project began in 2018 with the planting of a handful of donated fruit trees. Year after year the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department partners with the community to plant new fruit, shade, nut, and evergreen trees in Elgin Memorial Park to increase the biodiversity in our park, provide hands-on learning opportunities, and allow park patrons to grab a snack straight from the tree.

Download English Harvest Schedule here.                    Descarga el Calendario de la Cosecha en Español aquí.

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2022 Texas Arbor Day Tree Planting:

On Saturday, November 5th, 2022 Elgin Parks and Recreation and the Elgin community planted 40 trees in the Edible Arbor Walk to celebrate Texas Arbor Day. 

2022 Tree Maintenance:

An important part of maintaining the health of our Edible Arbor Walk is ensuring that the trees receive enough water, have the weeds removed from around their roots and suckers pruned. Elgin HS Key Club and NHS volunteered their time to clean up around the trees in April 2022, making sure there was no other plant competing for water in the area. 

In September 2022, volunteers Debora Marzec and Ranch House Recovery planted 13 trees, reinforced the wooden barriers, and lasagna gardened. 
Elgin HS Key Club and NHS - Weeding Trees
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2022 Memorial Tree Planting:

On March 20th, 2022 friends and family of Willie Simmons III donated a plum tree and Turquoise Table as a memorial. Turquoise Tables are a symbol of hospitality and coming together as a community; all are invited to sit and enjoy conversation, making connections. 

The tree and table will be dedicated at a later date.

2021 Texas Arbor Day Tree Planting: 

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Girl Scout Peach Tree

2021 Memorial Tree Planting:

On Sunday, January 3rd, 2021, Girl Scout troop 2334 planted a peach tree in memory of Jade Erwin, their fellow Girl Scout who died in March 2020. Her grandfather David Erwin helped with the planting.

Troop 2334 is an Ambassador and Seniors Girl Scout troop in the Blackland Prairie Service Unit for Girl Scouts of Central Texas. The troop formed when several of the girls were in kindergarten and has had a strong consistent participation throughout the years. Ten of the girls will graduate in May and three plan to continue with the troop for their final year of high school. Their fondest memories of Jade include camping trips, dance parties, and travel in Texas as well as to Tennessee and Colorado. 

2020 Ranch House Recovery Tree Planting:

  • Sandpaper Tree (2)
  • Elderberry Tree (1)
  • Mexican Plum Tree (3)
  • Texas Persimmon (2)
  • Wild Peach (1)
  • Golden Wreath Wattle (1)
  • Pineapple Guava (1)
  • Orchid Tree (3)
  • Moringa Tree (2)
  • Cypress Tree (2)
  • Dogwood Tree (1)
  • Common Fig (3)
  • Sweet Bay Laurel (2)
  • Blueberry, Tifblue (2)
  • Loblolly Pine (1)
Ranch House Recovery

On Saturday, November 21st, the men of Ranch House Recovery partnered with Elgin Parks and Recreation to plant 34 new fruit and shade trees in Elgin Memorial Park. Ranch House Recovery is a recovery center for men struggling with substance use disorders and alcoholism, committed to collaborative healing within the Elgin community. Service is a big part of recovery, so Ranch House Recovery volunteers their time and energy to local community members and organizations weekly. 

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Saturday, November 7th, 2020 the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department hosted a socially distanced Texas Arbor Day event. Eighteen families came and planted 20 trees in Elgin Memorial Park to extend the Edible Arbor Walk in the park. 

2020 Texas Arbor Day Tree Planting:

  • Texas Persimmon (2)
  • Barbados Cherry (2)
  • Sandpaper Tree (2)
  • Mexican Plum (2)
  • Loblolly Pine (1)
  • Arizona Cypress (1)
  • Common Fig (3)
  • Loquat (2)
  • Pomegranate (1)
  • Arbequina Olive (1)
  • Moringa Tree (3)

2019 Texas Arbor Day Tree Planting: 

  • Loquats (4)
  • Citrus - Assorted Varieties (3)
  • Pineapple Guava (1)
  • Keiffer Pears (2)
  • Hosui Pear (1)
  • Anna Apples (2)
  • Chocolate Persimmon (1)
  • Snowdrift Crabapple (1)
  • Wild Peaches (5)
  • Common Figs (3)
  • Aronia Autumn Magic (1)
  • Elderberries (2)
  • Pomegranates (2)
  • Pakistan Mulberry (1)
  • Mimosa (1)
  • Loblolly Pine (1)
  • Stellar Pink Dogwoods (2)

On Saturday, November 2nd, 2019 the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department hosted their first annual Texas Arbor Day. All were invited to help in planting an "Edible Arbor Walk" of fruit trees down the sidewalk next to the Elgin Recreation Center in an effort to provide educational resources and edible offerings to our community. These trees will serve to increase the biodiversity in our park and reduce the mono-culture currently present. 

Child planting tree

From the Fall of 2018 to Spring 2019, volunteers donated and planted 12 trees to Elgin Memorial Park. 

Tommy planting a tree

2018 Volunteer Tree Plantings:

  • Almonds (2)
  • Loblolly Pine (1)
  • Willow (1)
  • River Birch (1)
  • Common Fig (2)
  • Holly Trees (2)
  • Oak Tree (1)
  • Wild Peach Tree (1)
  • Cypress Tree (1)