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If you’ve ever eaten a ripened fruit picked off a tree you know there is nothing better found in our local stores. Now, you have an opportunity to purchase a young fruit tree from Northampton County’s 4-H.

Once upon a time, every home and homestead had a few fruit trees on its property. Does yours?

Today, there’s resurgent interest in growing fruit trees, for a number of intriguing reasons.

In modern times, fruit trees fell out of favor with homeowners, who opted for “landscape” trees in their yards instead. Truth be told, fruit trees are both marvelous landscape trees and hardworking production plants. Take a fresh look at what makes them both desirable and practical:

Grow a fruit tree… for a gorgeous spring show.

Fruit trees are as beautiful in flower as they are in fruit: Washington D.C. celebrates its cherry blossoms, and Georgia toasts its peach blossoms. Look closely at an apple tree in flower: a froth of ruffled petals, nearly iridescent white splashed with pale pink…who wouldn’t want that elegance in their yard? Cherry and peach flowers are particularly captivating because they cluster on bare branches instead of competing with emerging leaves.

And with flowers comes scent: apple and plum blossoms are famous for it. When considering a fruit tree, pay special attention to its ultimate site in your yard, to maximize both the striking view and the sweet scent.

Grow a fruit tree… to avoid pesticides and eat better tasting fruit.

Fruit found in stores has been sprayed with pesticides. Some fruits (such as apples) are even waxed to give them that eye appeal of shine, which it doesn’t have in its natural state. Fruit is almost always picked before it is fully ripe to allow for packing and shipping time, often being placed on store shelves as a rock hard and tasteless snack with less vitamin content that it would have gained if was allowed to ripen on the tree.

Grow a fruit tree… to save money.

With the price of fruit rising faster than our paychecks can keep up with, one mature fruit tree can produce more fruit than most families can eat. Not only will your family enjoy fresh and healthy fruit, but you’ll be a hit when you give your extra fruit away to your neighbors! Want to extend the enjoyment? Pressure can your fruit to enjoy them all winter long.

If your interested, you need to evaluate your property, your preference, and plan ahead.

The Northampton County 4-H is offering two different varieties each of apples, pear, peach, nectarine, and cherry trees.

The order form, with prices and variety types, can be found HERE.