Community Orchard
Bismarck Community Orchard is located at the Clem Kelley Athletic Complex, 517 W. Arbor Ave. The goal of the orchard is to provide fresh produce for the community and the Hunger Free ND Garden Program and to provide educational opportunities for using and preserving fruit from plant species that grow well in the local climate.
2025 Spring Cleanup
- Monday, April 21, from 11am-1pm
Orchard Dos and Don’ts
Bismarck Community Orchard Dos and Don’ts (PDF)
Do
- Enjoy the orchard. It is open to all. Rows adopted by volunteers are still available for anyone to experience.
- Visit during daylight hours.
- Bring your own garden gloves and tools.
- Pull grass from the rows. If you’re not sure if something is a weed or not, leave it.
- Water the trees and shrubs. Place the hose at the base of the tree or shrub you are watering instead of soaking the leaves, flowers and fruit. Some younger trees have bags that you can fill, which will release water slowly to the base of the tree.
- Pick and eat ripe fruit from the trees and shrubs. Ripe fruit releases easily from the stem.
- Donate excess produce to a local food pantry.
- Bring a friend, family, co-worker or, neighbor – the more the merrier.
- Follow Bismarck Parks and Recreation District on Facebook! We post updates, events and information on the trees and shrubs growing in the orchard.
- Contact Local Foods Coordinators Amanda and Clarissa if you have questions, comments or concerns via email.
Don’t
- Apply any amendments – no fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, etc.
- Leave the water on.
- Pull out a plant if you’re not sure if it is a weed.
- Leave trash or tools out.
- Forget to have fun.
- Forget this is not a community garden and volunteers do not rent the rows they adopt. All rows are available to everyone to enjoy the harvest.
History
Community Orchard location was chosen based on public accessibility, proximity to lower income populations within Bismarck, ease of use for educational purposes and supplying food pantries. The Orchard was initially planted in 2015 with support from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD), and Go! Bismarck Mandan Community Coalition.
Partners
