2009

• Idea for a community orchard presented in SPEA thesis paper by Amy Countryman.
• City of Bloomington offers BCO initial land, support, 501c3 status, and seed money.

2010

• First public meeting held to organize community interests and support into teams.
• Grants from Edy’s and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation provide 20+ fruit trees, materials, and support from a professional arborist to get the initial Orchard designed and planted.
• First Annual Meeting held, where the first Board of Directors and bylaws were voted in.
• First Fall Planting Day held, to start designing, cultivating, and planting the fledging Orchard site.

2011

• First Spring Planting Day held, to continue cultivating and planting the fledging Orchard site.
• Initial organizational structure defined with roles for board, teams, and committees.
• Large involvement ask event held to encourage broader participation from the community.
• First Cider Fest held at the Orchard site.

2012

• BCO becomes a 501c3 nonprofit and signs our first partnership with the City.
• First 3-year strategic plan outlined, with annual team accountabilities and longer-term vision and goals.
• Plated fruit and nut trees at Butler / Crestmont Parks, with Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard.
• Education kiosks are added to the Orchard site, thanks to a local Rotary Club grant.

2013

• Jr. Stewards Team launched, as we added a beneficial herbs bed to the Orchard site.
• Site Maintenance Plan launched, to help guide cultivation efforts of the Orchard, and for local growers.
• First Harvest Festival held, offering some community members their first taste of BCO fruits.
• Orchard hosts community members’ wedding – first of many private activities at the site!
• First fruit-tree giveaway and demonstration planting held, adding 75 trees in the community.

2014

• Kicked off our 5-Year Anniversary celebrations at the first Hibernation Celebration event.
• All BCO classes become free to the community, to remove financial barriers to participation.
• Neighborhood Plantings Program launched, with first pocket orchard in Evergreen Village.
• Partnered with Habitat for Humanity, to offer fruit trees for first-time homeowner families.
• Planted a row of fruit trees for Hoosier Hills Food Bank, at the Detmer Park farm gardens.

2015

• Orchard starts producing a harvest, after typical timeline from planting to production.
• BCO classes reach max capacities, as they are now made free to the community.
• Planted first orchard on Indiana University’s campus, alongside the BCO-IU student group.
• Expanded fruit-tree giveaways to the spring, leading to 100+ more trees in the community.
• Cider Fest welcomes 500+ attendees, our largest community festival event to date!

2016

• Partner Plantings Team formed, bringing together Neighborhood & Campus Planting teams.
• Jr. Stewards program ramps up, as team works with classes, youth groups and camps.
• First planting at public school, in partnership with KIPP Indy Public Schools.
• Strategic Planning Outcomes crafted, to share Orchard’s longer-term aspirations and goals.
• BCO-Ivy Tech student group formed, to broaden involvement of local student groups.
• First Volunteer Appreciation Event held, to thank the community for all their contributions.

2017

• Orchard volunteers win the Be More Sustainable Award from the City of Bloomington!
• Beekeeper Club begins, offering opportunities to help our hardest working volunteers.
• IU Service-Learning Partnerships begin, to connect students’ studies to community impact.
• Built berry trellises at the Orchard, with help from the CIP Bloomington and Academy students.
• Best apple harvest to date, adding Orchard-grown apples into the mix used for Cider Fest.

2018

• Improved the Orchard site by adding a new shed and replacing the deer-protection fence.
• Planted first-ever public nut grove with City, adding 31 trees for the community to enjoy.
• Planted 46 fruit trees at IU’s Hilltop Gardens, near future Heritage Trail, in partnership with WFIU.
• Partnered with local community groups to plant hundreds of fruit trees in Trail View neighborhood.
• 40 pounds of honey were produced at the Orchard’s beehives, to share with the community.

2019

• Finished the first ever public nut grove, in partnership with the City of Bloomington.
• Began consulting other communities on how to start their own community orchards.
• Regular visits and volunteerism from local groups like Boys & Girls Club and Stone Belt.
• Launched new classes and activities at the site, such a medicinal herbs series and poetry workshop.