Plum Heaven: The Edible Sidewalks of Berkeley

​Plum Heaven: The Edible Sidewalks of Berkeley

​For generations of students at Willard Junior High in Berkeley, the school day didn’t end at the final bell. For many, it ended several feet off the ground, tucked into the branches of the city’s most delicious landmark: the purple-leaf plum trees.

​To those who walked the route along Derby and Stuart Streets, this wasn't just a neighborhood; it was "Plum Heaven."

​A Living Tunnel of Purple

​The walk toward Willard is defined by a distinct visual: a canopy of dark, wine-colored leaves that filter the California sun into a deep violet hue. These trees—mostly Purple-Leaf Plums (Prunus cerasifera)—were originally planted for their aesthetic beauty and their pale pink blossoms that announce the arrival of spring.

​However, for the students, the real magic happened in late spring and early summer. Unlike the fruitless "ornamental" varieties found in many modern suburbs, Berkeley’s plums were the real deal. Small, cherry-sized, and incredibly sweet, they turned the walk home into a scavenger hunt.

​The Experience of "Plum Heaven"

​The trees were the perfect height for an adventurous middle schooler. With low-slung, sturdy branches, they acted as natural ladders. Students would scramble up into the cool shade of the purple leaves to find the fruit—small plums that were tart enough to make you wince if they were green, but honey-sweet once they turned a deep, bruised purple.

​It was a sensory experience that defined an era:

​The Sight: Hands and faces stained with dark purple juice.

​The Sound: The rustle of leaves as friends called to each other from neighboring branches.

​The Smell: The heavy, sweet scent of ripening fruit baking on the Berkeley pavement.

​From Sidewalk Edibles to a Global Movement

​While students were climbing trees on Derby Street, a larger philosophy was taking root in Berkeley: the idea that the city itself should be a garden. My "edible sidewalk" days were the precursor to what would become a world-renowned revolution in education.

​1. The Edible Schoolyard

​In 1995, just down the road from Willard, chef Alice Waters (of Chez Panisse) partnered with the principal of Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School to create the Edible Schoolyard Project. They transformed a literal parking lot into a lush garden where students grew, harvested, and cooked their own food. This "seed-to-table" curriculum started in a Berkeley backyard and has now spread to over 6,000 locations worldwide.

​2. Willard’s "Growing Leaders"

​Willard didn't stay in the shadows for long. The school developed its own robust garden program and a unique initiative called "Growing Leaders." Today’s Willard students don't just forage from the street trees; they run a small-scale social enterprise, growing produce in the school's massive garden and selling prepared meals to the community.

​3. The Berkeley Forager Legacy

​The spirit of those "plum heaven" walks lives on in Berkeley’s DNA. The city remains a pioneer in urban foraging, with many residents still planting fruit trees specifically so that neighbors (and the occasional climbing student) can enjoy the harvest.

​The Legacy Today

​If you walk from Telegraph Avenue toward Willard today, the purple-leaf plums are still there, casting their violet shadows. While the city sometimes plants "fruitless" versions now to keep the sidewalks tidy, the older, fruit-bearing trees remain as stubborn, sweet reminders of a Berkeley childhood.

​The sidewalks still turn purple in June, the air still smells like ripening fruit, and for a few weeks every year, the neighborhood returns to being "Plum Heaven."

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