Rachel, Deb, Lynn, Susan, and Zsuzsanna on the first stewardship day of 2013.

It seems the bloom of the first daffodils in our park is a sign that the stewardship season has begun. Today six volunteers of Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard were out enjoying the fresh air while gently scooping up fallen leaves in our pollinator garden and trimming dogwood shrubs. But do you ever have to be careful! Rachel, Deb, Lynn, Susan, Zsuzsanna and Sherry tread carefully around the bed in order to avoid trampling on the perennials that are just starting to emerge from the soil. Lynn avoided tiptoeing, however, because she bravely took on the challenge of cleaning out the orchard shed.  Our pollinator plants are looking great with hundreds more daffodils preparing to give us a great show this spring. The buds on our fruit trees are swelling and getting ready to bloom. We’re excited and looking forward to a new gardening year!