KCSD Natural Resources Management Class Builds Orchard

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – Keystone Central Career and Technical Education teacher, Mr. John May was awarded a Keystone Central Foundation Teacher Mini-Grant earlier this school year. With that grant Mr. May and his students in Natural Resources Management (NRM) class have constructed an orchard at Central Mountain High School.

The orchard is complete with eight foot high fence to protect it from wildlife, 28 apple trees of four different varieties, and rabbit guards around each tree.

“The hope is to eventually harvest enough apples that our Culinary Arts classes can use them and our FFA students can create fundraisers for future projects” said May. “This orchard will provide decades of teaching opportunities in all facets of orchard management from pruning, fertilizing, and harvesting” he added.

Maintenance and management will be performed by future NRM students at CMHS. Additional funds for the project where provided by the Pennsylvania State FFA, and Rizzo’s Greenhouse in Avis donated twelve of the trees. Planting Photo: NRM students place rabbit guards around newly planted apple trees at the new orchard. Photo below from left: Seth Bechdel, James Coakley, Conner Bauman, Gregg Stahl, Garen Weaver, Kyle Ginn, Sam Weber, Wyatt Koch, Bailey Toner, Blaze Bierly, Nick Fedele and Shawn Shafer.