Delayed by a cold spring, unique green and purple apple seedlings finally leaf out in the land lab.
Community orchard project brings resilient fruit varieties to regional beds.
The newly emerged leaves of our apple seedlings are small, saw-toothed, and just beginning to open. Nineteen seedlings are growing in the raised beds at the land lab, planted last year and now back after their first winter in Northwestern Ontario.
They all come from a single apple tree that Jack Robinson cared for over many years. Even with the same origin, the seedlings are already showing differences in how they grow. Some leaves are a steady green, while others carry darker reds and purples along the veins and edges. That variation is expected when apples are grown from seed rather than cuttings.
This spring has moved slowly. Trees in the area are leafing out later than usual, and the orchard has followed that same timing. The first leaves showing up have been watched closely by volunteers who were waiting through the winter to see what would return.
The apple seedlings are part of the work happening across the community garden and land lab. They need steady care—watering, checking, and general upkeep—and have become one of the more consistent tasks for people working in the space. Growing fruit trees here is long-term work, shaped by the limits of the climate and the short growing season.
Art Borups Corners is a non-profit arts group in Northwestern Ontario that brings northern and Indigenous artists together. The group runs hands-on art projects, digital storytelling programs, and nature-based learning for local youth and residents. Through partnerships with groups like the Dyment Recreation Hall and The Arts Incubator Winnipeg, they support shared work that connects creative practice with everyday land-based activities like the orchard and garden spaces.
About the Author
