Information For First-Time or Other Visitors

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Mary Scott Community Orchard is located in Richmond, Indiana at 105 N.W. 8th Street on the grounds of Mary Scott Park.

The areas of operation for the orchard are the sam as for Mary Scott Park. We are open from 7am-11pm.

Our outreach occurs from April through October, depending on the seasons and weather. You can access our website and associated materials at any time. 

You can email us through our website at maryscottcommunityorchard@gmail.com and we will discuss scheduling and options for dates. Scheduled facilitated class visits require a conversation, planning, and confirmation, so we can best plan to meet the learning or other needs of your students. Our facilitated session usually last around 2-3 hours.

No. While there is a schedule of times that the MSCO provides facilitated group teaching. Outside these times, you are free to bring your classes according to your own school schedule. As this is also a public park, we ask for courtesy and professionalism, if there are other classes visiting the site at the same time.

We schedule times with classes and facilitate learning acivities. We work to complement the efforts or projects of teachers and their classes, so our roles are flexible.

The design of the orchard means that your students can bring thier smart phones and connect to learning abou tthe site. Scannable QR codes around the orchard connect to resources and information about the trees and othe plants. The resources offered through our website provide a menu of activities and other possibilities when you visit the orchard. You can use this to plan your visit and as a resource while you're here. 

There is no cost to visit the orchard. 

Depending on the time of year, we recommend bringing adequate water and necessary snacks for members of your group. Also, please bring any instructional or teaching supplies, depending on what your topic is. Just plan ahead.

The shelter and the cabin are separate facilities that are managed by the Richmond Parks Department. You can call and reserve both, depending on the needs of your field trip. You will be responsible for picking up keys or communication with the parks department. There is a playground in the park that is open to all park patrons.

The safety rules are posted at the entrance to the orchard. We ask that all patrons please respect safety guidelines for everyone's benefit.

Depending on the time of year and whether the fruit is ripe, you can. We want the fruit to stay on the tree and vines long enough to mature, so it will taste good and students have the opportunity to study it as it develops each year.

Pets are not allowed in the orchard due to the damage that urine, feces, and chewing can do to the grounds and plants.

Responsibilities for student safety and carrying appropriate emergency or other medication is the responsibility of the leader of the visiting group.

The MSCO is set on a sloping hill in the park, so the bottom of the hill is accessible. The MSCO has grass-covered walking paths, but students or others with mobility issues may require assistance, since there are no sidewalks and only grass.

The Richmond Parks Department maintains a portable bathroom on the grounds. There is also a bathroom in the cabin, but that is separate from the orchard and we do not have ready access to it. You can always rent the cabin for a small fee and have access to an open space, a kitchen, and two bathrooms.

Visiting groups are free to use any available space in the park, so long as it does not conflict with another group's activities. We ask that all visitors please help keep the grounds clean by throwing away their trash.

Out website is packed with great information for teaching and learning. You are free to access and utilize this resource while you are here, or even after you leave. Teachers are also free to use the orchard for their own unique lessons.

We can certainly discuss this option. It depends on what your focus is. We believe in complementing what the teacher is doing with their students, so we are flexible.

There are QR codes posted around the orchard for you to use with your smartphone. Take some time to review our website and decide what you want your focus to be.

The wonderful quality of a place like this is the fact that it has so many uses. There are opportunities for environmental science, math, social studies, language arts, and many more. This information is on our website.