Natural Orchards

Ancient heirloom fruit trees were of great importance in the life of the Balaton Uplands and the Bakony region until the middle of the last century. Today, these great treasures are being forgotten and the ancestral knowledge associated with the varietal species is fading. The task of saving these riches and preserving the traditions is ours.

The Barnag and Alsópáhok community gardens, both created and developed by the local community with financial support from VEB2023, pay tribute to a particular part of our cultural heritage. In both locations, orchards are tended by local communities to create a natural, species-rich patch of land at the settlement, with heirloom fruit trees complemented by rich shrub and grassland varieties and mixed tree species. These orchards also serve as an experiment in creating and maintaining public areas of the municipality through community collaboration.

The Barnag Community Orchard and the programmes organised around it are linked primarily to natural fruit growing and the myriad of associated ancient and modern skills, from mowing by hand to grafting, beekeeping and fruit processing. The programmes at the orchard offer tastes of this diverse knowledge and a chance to connect with people who care about the fate of the Balaton landscape.

The Orchard Project in Alsópáhok aims to create a unique landscape garden by transforming what is currently a fairy garden collection of varieties. The intent is to launch a model "experiment" for small villages in an urban environment, including possible solutions for water retention through landscaping, grass utilisation and live fences. The main community objective of the project is to demonstrate and proffer sustainable activities linked to garden management. Through this diversity, people of different ages and abilities can reap the results of creative work and that of community unity. The aim is to help local people change from being landscape users to responsible caretakers of the landscape.