The Hidden Orchard

58kgs of pears harvested Friday Feb 21 from a backyard in Brown Hill with an extra 25kg of damaged fruit taken for the enjoyment of animals at Ballarat Wildlife Park. A light drizzle threatened the pick but then the sun came out and a great harvest prevailed with 2 rosellas & a cockatoo watching closely … Continue reading Pear Pick – Brown Hill

47kg of apples harvested in Brown Hill, plus 30kg of damaged (codling moth infested) fruit taken to Ballarat Wildlife Park Apples best suited for cooking donated to Our Kitchen & Food is Free Continue reading Apple Harvest – 20.02.2020

Thanks to Des & Joan for inviting the Hidden Orchard & our band of volunteer pickers to harvest 75kg of delicious Yellow Plums from their garden. Fruit was distributed on day to Ballarat Soup Bus & Food is Free Laneway with more to be distributed to other community organisations. All spoilt fruit was taken to … Continue reading Plum picking Lake Wendouree

https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/6619398/the-volunteers-ensuring-fruit-on-your-backyard-trees-does-not-go-to-waste/?cs=62&fbclid=IwAR2M7Ssaj6zOyeytqRDHjO9HcjtNyIa-WYeGdA1-Q2-0zPpf2pwo5ZEbqZE Continue reading The Courier supports THO

Another successful harvest, this time 33kgs of pears harvested from an 100 year old pear tree. All work was performed under the careful supervision of Toby, the extremely friendly Jack Russell cross. Rochelle from The Courier came and had a chat with Ellen so look out for a story about The Hidden Orchard in the … Continue reading 100 year old Pear Tree

Harvest Season begins with a 40kg harvest of Yellow Flesh Plums in Brown Hill. Small group of 6 volunteers and 3 kids made quick work of the crop. Continue reading Harvest Season Begins 2020

Last night we had our THO Christmas party! We forgot to get a group photo but we got photos of our incredible red and green themed pot luck spread, which is the important bit, right? A huge thank you to all committee members, harvest leaders, volunteers and supporters for making The Hidden Orchard possible. In … Continue reading Merry Christmas!

We are developing a great connection with the Ballarat Cemeteries Trust who have graciously welcomed us onto their facilities for the third year in a row. Last week, Leo & a crew picked apples and nashis at the ‘Old’ cemetery, and today a few of us went to the New cemetery to check out apples. … Continue reading Cemetery apples

The absolute legends at Ballarat Group Training have donated a storage space for us in their new home in Barkly street in the old Ballarat Secondary College building. This building was originally the Ballarat East Town Hall, the Ballarat Girls’ School and then used as a School of Mines Ballarat satellite site. We are thrilled … Continue reading Thanks BGT!

Thanks to Dot for sharing her three nectarine trees last Friday night. Although the ‘haul’ was modest, that isn’t the point… The Hidden Orchard comprises trees large & small, sometimes just a single tree in a backyard. Every harvest is saving fruit from going to waste and getting it to good homes. In this case, … Continue reading Nectarine delights