An edible environment
When the orchard was planted, VUB already had plans to build in this area in the longer term. That is why we opted for fruit trees, which are known not to live long, minimising the risk of protests when the trees would have to be uprooted. Most of the old trees had actually already died when the building plans were put forward. Nevertheless, we were able to save two trees: an old apple tree and a walnut tree.
Fruit orchard
In 2020, a brand-new low- and high-trunk orchard was planted with a wide variety of fruit species: cherry, apple, walnut, and pear, as well as forgotten fruits such as quince and medlar. Quince produces bright-yellow, large pear-like fruits that make delicious jam. Medlars, which look like small apples, were introduced to our region by the Romans. They are at their best when they remain on the tree in autumn, and they freeze at the first night frost. Afterwards, the flesh slowly rots and turns brown. This gives them a pleasant sweet taste. Definitely worth a try! Around the XY buildings you will find many bushes that provide food for the animals on and around campus.
At the moment, we are still looking for a place to plant a number of Schaerbeek cherry trees. The harvest can be processed into a genuine regional product: Brussels cherry beer, based on lambic.
Herb garden
We have plans to create even more edible corners in the park in the future. How about a permanent herb garden with rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf? That would be useful, especially for the population of almost 1,300 students who live on campus and regularly cook their own meals.
