The Brentwood Orchard

Did you know that Brentwood College School has various fruit trees on campus? 

There are 17 fruit trees on campus we know of, mostly located on adjacent properties across the street from the main campus. These trees were left, mostly ignored, for years until last year when BEAT and EA pruned them. This fall we harvested the prunes, apples and pears. 

We have one pear, one walnut, two plums, two cherries - and the rest are apples. These trees all have different needs. For example, the apples have produced a large amount of ground fall, so the number of apples we harvested was decreased. Next summer we will try to pick fruit earlier, prune more effectively, pick immature fruit for better ripening, and, if all goes to plan, then we will have more apples to use. These practices can be used on all of the trees during the summer and winter to increase their yields. 

You may wonder why we want more fruit production on campus. After all, the Food Services Staff in Crooks Hall provides us with superb food, 24/7 - including fresh fruit.

That is certainly true, but the fruit that we gather would otherwise be wasted groundfall, uneaten, which is food waste and also can attract bears to campus which poses a danger. It also is a fun activity to pick and prepare the fruit into apple sauce, baking, juice, or jam. Many EA members enjoyed the fruit projects the most. One EA student who wished to remain anonymous said “It was a great opportunity to learn new skills.” 

During the winter, under the instruction of Brentwood’s horticulturist, Mr John Brennan, we will prune the trees, to give them more energy to fruit with, to allow more sunlight and air into the center of the tree, and to make them easier to pick. In the spring and early summer we will nip buds or pick young fruit to give more space and energy to the fruit we want, and in the late summer and fall we will harvest the fruit to be eaten fresh or turned into delicious prepared foods.

Bowen C, Privett ‘27