Bay of Plenty Branch

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Branch contact - bayofplenty@treecrops.org.nz
Branch news and notices are below.
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Bay of Plenty Branch – greenhouse table grapes, roses and gardens

March Field Day

Hosts: Andrew and Janice
Venue: Matai Road, Matamata
At: Mid-day for lunch in the grounds, 1.00pm Field day Sunday 8th March

Andrew and Janice have been growing table grapes in greenhouses at Matai Road for 32 years.
Janice is also a champion rose grower and has a beautiful garden to walk around.
We are welcome to arrive from 12pm onwards and picnic in their garden.

Please note there will be a small charge and in return each person will receive a bag of grapes:
NZTCA Members – subsidised from branch funds
Non-members, visitors – $10 please

Bay of Plenty Branch – Cider apple orchard and cider making

February Field Day

Host: Simon of O Cider
Venue: The Cidery, 50 Oikimoke Road, Te Puna
At: 1.00pm Sunday 8th February

The main focus will be the cider apple orchard and the cider making process.
The orchard is still being established with some trees 4 and others 3 years old.
Also on the property is an avocado orchard, a few other fruit trees and an extensive vegetable garden.
The whole property is run organically with some biodynamic principals also followed.

Bay of Plenty Branch – home orchard plus, after 2014 BoP AGM

January Field day
Hosts: Graham and Christine
Venue: Esdaile Road, Tauranga
Time: 12 Noon Sunday 18th January

The AGM will be held at 12 noon during lunch. Bring your own lunch and a folding chair.
Tea, coffee and juice will be available. AGM reports will be distributed later.
1.15pm or at the end of our meeting we have the field day.

Graham and Christine have been living and developing their lifestyle block here for five years. There is a home orchard with quite a few espaliered fruit trees, vegetable and flower gardens. The fruit trees have been slow to establish and they suspect soil deficiencies so we will hear some of the things Christine has been learning about this at the organic course she has been attending.

How to get there: look out for our roadside signs.

Bay of Plenty Branch – 2014 December Field Day and Christmas BBQ

December Field Day and Christmas BBQ
Hosts: Brian and Jan
Venue: Sedgemoor Lane, Katikati
Time: 3.00pm Sunday 14th December

By special request from several members we are revisiting Brian and Jan’s beautiful property. I know I never tire of wandering there.

Brian and Jan grow gold kiwifruit (the new G3 recently grafted) and avocados and have an extensive tree croppers orchard which includes many varieties of fruit trees, hazels, pecans, bananas, a berry house and propagating area. Also a large well producing vegetable garden.
Each year the club now buys apple root stock which Brian grafts with mainly heritage but also some older, popular apple varieties from wood off members trees. These are then sold at our tree sale day in July or prior to members.

Sausages, bread, cold and hot drinks will be provided.
Please bring a salad or dessert to share, plates, utensils, a glass and a chair.
Bring other drinks and alternative things to cook if you wish.

Bay of Plenty Branch – Glynn Douglas, soil consultant

November 2014 Field Day

Speaker: Glynn Douglas

Time: 1.00pm Sunday 9th November 2014

Venue: to be advised

Glynn is a soil consultant from Hortigro who always gives an interesting, knowledgeable presentation and will talk on the nature of soil, its requirements and management for this area.

Bay of Plenty Branch – citrus from go to glow, with the expert

October Field Day – citrus from go to glow
Host: Grant Tennet
Venue: Copperfield Nurseries, 221 Snodgrass Road, Te Puna, Tauranga.
At: 1.00pm Sunday 12th October

It was realized at the Tree Sale as all the citrus were walking off site that we hadn’t been to Grant’s Nursery for quite a few years and I’m sure all our new members will find this day very interesting. Grant can show us the complete process as he starts from seed and ends up selling grafted citrus plants throughout New Zealand.

How to get there:
Snodgrass Road is off SH2 next on the right after Te Puna and opposite the road to the Quarry gardens.

Bay of Plenty Branch – mainly pruning demo, very old and new trees

September Field Day – mainly pruning demo
Hosts: John and Pru
Venue: Wainui Road South, Katikati
At: 1.00pm Sunday 14th September

Pru and John have an assortment of very old fruit trees that they have inherited plus been planting new ones so this will mainly be a pruning demonstration and will show us the training of young trees as well. Bring your secateurs as there could be time to have a go at some pieces off an extremely old plum. That is if we can reach any of it! They are also growing kiwifruit.
Some folding chairs might be useful.

How to get there:
Travel north on SH2 passing Apata (a large packhouse and a railway station on the left) up the next hill and Wainui Road South is next on the left at the start of the passing lanes opposite. From north pass Aongatete, continue on SH2 until the passing lanes and at the top of the hill to the right is Wainui Road South.

Bay of Plenty Branch – 2014 mid-winter pot luck lunch

August Field Day:
Host: Michael Sweetlove
Venue: Wine Port Folio (Formerly Morton Estate Winery) State Highway
2, Katikati
At: 12 midday Sunday 10 August for mid-winter pot luck lunch

Due to a slight hiccup in Elizabeth’s brain our lunch is a bit late this year.
Sorry about that.
After lunch Michael will continue with his talk but this time the focus will be Champagne, which wasn’t covered at the luncheon last year. This is a different process to the making of wine. Also different are the grapes and growing so we will hear about that too. Our usual cuppa will conclude the day with maybe even champagne to taste at some stage.
Please bring a contribution to share for lunch and a folding chair.

How to get there:
From the South Wine Port Folio is on the left hand side of SH2 at Aongatete, which is between Tauranga and Katikati, opposite Aongatete Packhouse.
Watch for our signs. Turn in and take the ashphalt drive to the right of the cellar door and up to the factory beyond where there is plenty of parking.

Bay of Plenty Branch – Kati Kaiway blessing

Kia Ora All,

We will be blessing our signs with local Kaumatua on Friday 20 June, at 3pm. We would like to invite all interested parties to join us in this celebration.

Meet at the new Gilfillan Road Kati KaiWay sign at 3pm. We will then proceed to the kindergarten for a shared afternoon tea – please bring a plate.

Sorry for short notice but had to wait for confirmation from Kaumatua.

Spread the word. The more the merrier!

Come on you Lions, and BOP TreeCrops Associationers – this is celebrating all your hard work too!

Regards

Jizzy, Cushla and Biddy

And Children of Kati KaiWay

Bay of Plenty – citrus plus new mixed home orchard

June Field Day

Hosts: Keith and Madelaine
Venue: Wright Road, Katikati
At 1.00pm Sunday 8th June

The property has 1.8 canopy hectares under citrus comprising Meyer and Yen Ben lemons, Tangelos, Navel Oranges, Afourer Mandarins plus a new mixed home orchard.

Keith is also keen to show us overheads of spices that he took on a visit to Zanzibar so this will be at the end for those wishing to stay.

Please note our midwinter lunch field day will be held in August.