June 8, 2021 was a mild sunny day - the perfect day for our SCA Garden Club members, family and friends to explore the Gilcrease Orchard! Numerous crops were available for picking - Clingstone peaches, Cotton Candy Apriums with white flesh, Flavor Delight Apriums with yellow flesh, Blenheim Apricots, Beets, Carrots, Zuchini, Summer Squash, Armenian Cucumbers, Pickling Cucumbers, Kabocha Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Butternut Squash, Sunflowers, various Greens, and Kale. And it was nice to see the apple, pear, and pomegranete crops comming along also! They also offered Onion and Garlic, Almond and Peanut Butter, Potatoes, Kettle Corn and Blackberries near the check-out.
Their free "app" (available in the playstore under "Gilcrease Orchard") made it easier to find what you were looking for in their 60 acre orchard. There are also Chicken coops, Bat houses, a Bee exhibit, and a Desert Tortoise habitat that nature lovers will enjoy. And birders may get lucky and see the Burrowing Owls on a cool morning.
The natural artesian springs that allow this orchard to exist have been a local treasure since the Gilcrease family created the orchard 90 years ago. To learn more about the family and the history of the orchard, visit http://www.thegilcreaseorchard.org/. You will also find recipes and the opportunity to sign up for weekly updates on schedules and crop availability.
They expect to be open throughout the summer on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 7am to 10am. Saturdays are very busy mornings there! If you are headed out there, remember your water, sunhat, sunscreen and walking shoes. Bottled water is available for $1 and there is a Shaved Ice Stand with many flavors for $2.50.
GIlcrease Orchard is located at 7800 N. Tenaya Way, Las Vegas, Nevada 89131and is a 40-45 minute drive from Sun City Anthem.
If you missed this outing, see below for photos from Lisa Gensheimer, Tina Hohnstein, and Linda Gettier.