City In An Orchard- A NeighborSpace Community Orchard Project

If you are looking for future events to participate in and training opportunities please visit our Upcoming Workshops page HERE.

Is your NeighborSpace garden interested in becoming part of the City in an Orchard program? There are several ways to be involved in this three year plus NeighborSpace (2026-2028) sponsored project. Please read below and fill out interest forms.

City in an Orchard is NeighborSpace’s commitment to a Chicago legacy that’s just getting started: a citywide network of community orchards rooted in NeighborSpace gardens and farms. Over the next several years, we will plant and support the care of 200–300 fruit and nut trees across multiple community sites—prioritizing places most benefited by long-term investment in canopy, climate resilience, and community-led green space.

This project is about more than planting trees. Fruit and nut trees require consistent, skilled care—watering, mulching, pruning, monitoring, and shared harvest practices. City in an Orchard pairs plantings with stewardship support and training, including a pathway for Orchard Stewards, aka the Orchard Corps- who can help anchor orchard care at their sites. We look forward to the healthy trees, stronger stewardship teams, and community-led orchards that this initiative supports.

If you are interested in getting new fruit trees planted at your NeighborSpace garden, please fill out a Tree Planting Request Form by clicking HERE.

If you are interested in being part of our City in an Orchard “Orchard Corps”, (a skilled-up team to care for NeighborSpace fruit trees), fill out an Orchard Corps Interest Form (CLICK HERE)! This program includes free trainings and workshops, as long as you are a long term committed volunteer.

If you are interested in offering up some of your mature fruit trees to be pruned, celebrated or harvested by trained Orchard Corps volunteers, or need support with existing fruit trees, whether at your NeighborSpace site or in neighboring yards and parks, CLICK HERE for a Tree Care Support Request Form.

For more information on this project, contact Noah Frazier at nfrazier@neighbor-space.org.

This project is funded through a grant from American Forests.