Central Districts – 2013 December field-day – Glenfalloch Tree Farm

Date –	Sunday 1st December 2013
Time –	10am start
Bring –	Your lunch, a coat and suitable footwear for serious walking, mainly on bulldozed farm tracks.
Where –	The McKellar property – Omango Road [road end], off Ongo Road, Hunterville.  Park and assemble at the 2nd house up the long driveway.

This former pastoral property was initially an un-loved expanse of gorse, scrub and steep erosion-prone sidlings.  Since 1984 Hew & Suse have transformed the block into a pristine and productive woodland environment.

Yes… there are pine trees but many other complementary and interesting tree species have also been planted…..even fruit and nut trees.

Hew is one of our longer serving members and is infinitely passionate about trees.  Be prepared to be ‘informed’ as he delights in sharing his wealth of knowledge.

Oh….and warm country hospitality is always assured!

Date –	Sunday 10th November 2013 [Coinciding with the final weekend of the Gardenfestnz & Fringe-festival]
Time –	10am start
Bring –	[weaver_html span args=’style=”color:blue”‘]Something for a shared lunch[weaver_html /span], your coat and suitable footwear.
Where –	Stratford/Toko region Taranaki.

On our Taranaki one-dayer field day we visit three interesting properties, specifically selected from the Taranaki Fringe Festival and Gardenfestnz programs. Plus, a visit to Vaughan Wood’s “Woodzy Rockers” [www.woodzyrockers.co.nz]  [Please note – an entrance fee of $2 or $4 applies to three of the four listed properties.]

Program – [estimated times only]

10am –	Hathaway House [Judith & Wayne Gilmer] – $2.00 entry fee 3500 Mountain Road Stratford – Fringe Festival property no. 19
11am –	Merleswood [Erica Jago] – $4.00 entry fee 597 Beaconsfield Road Stratford – Gardenfest property no. 19
12.15pm –	[weaver_html span args=’style=”color:blue”‘]Shared Lunch at….[weaver_html /span] Woodzy Rockers [Vaughan Wood] – Free entry 600 Toko Road Stratford.
1.45pm –	Cairnhill Garden [June & Colin Lees] – $4.00 entry fee 1054 Forgotten World Hwy.[opposite Toko School] Stratford – Gardenfest property no.17

For those folk who plan on maybe making a ‘weekend’ of the event, check out…www.gardenfestnz.co.nz & www.taranakigardens.co.nz for more info.

Date – Sunday 5th May – 10am start

Bring – your lunch, a drink and sensible footwear

Where – Harrison’s Trees
483 Awahuri Road [Fielding-Awahuri Road] Feilding

A chance to see one of NZ’s leading wholesale nurseries in operation. Propagating an extensive range of ornamental, fruit and nut trees. Grafted walnut production is one of their specialties. Checking out www.harrisonstrees.co.nz will give an indication of their extensive range.

Afternoon…. Mt Lees Reserve

199 Ngaio Road
Halcombe

A 1930’s homestead, garden and bush block covering some 30ha. A wide selection of native/exotic trees and shrubs, developed by the late Ormond Wilson…..and gifted to the Crown in 1972.

This is a well maintained property, with good quality walking tracks that meander through the various plantings. So if botanising is your thing….join us!

Date – Sunday 7th April – 10am start

Bring – your lunch and a drink

Where – Tom & Linda’s
Napier Road
Ashhurst.

Assembling at the Manawatu Gorge/Walking Track Carpark. [PNth end] Entrance to the walnut grove is accessed from the carpark.

Tom and Linda have a long established tree farm – timber and fruit/nut trees. We get to peruse their walnut grove/orchard… home of the ‘Shannon walnut’ [and others], trialled and later propagated by the late Vern Harrison.

We then proceed up the hill to inspect Tom and Linda’s Eco home. A recently built, ‘off-grid’ creation to be marvelled at. Linda’s veggie patch is also something special.

Lunch – will take place at “Tom’s retreat”….another quaint eco-building, nestled in bush above the Manawatu Gorge [accessible by motor vehicle].

After lunch – Niche Seeds, 63 York Street Ashhurst

Vehicle parking is available and advised at the Recreation Ground car-park directly adjacent to the property. This is a busy road so exercise caution!

Mike and Vivienne Retter are widely experienced in the seed industry, operating a import/retail business from their property. Specialising in vegetable and flower seed plus other related items. Seed etc will be for sale on the day.

A great opportunity to get an insight into the business of seeds.

Saturday 9th – Sunday 10th March 2013

From the central Taranaki town of Stratford on SH3, turn inland (as opposed to the mountain) at the roundabout at the northern end of town onto Regan Street. Proceed straight onto East Road at the town boundary and you will now be on SH43. We have a further visit to fit into the day.

Time: 10 am – Sandra and Lou’s farming property –
Once you have passed the cemetery turn right onto Skinner Road, then take the left turn into Bird Road. We have been invited to view this 70yr old + orchard before the farm is sold. The trees are generously bearing apples and anyone is welcome to a harvest some budwood and sample the fruit. The fruit is clean of codling moth and the orchard is not sprayed.

Time: 11:00am
Where: Toko Primary School – to see the orchard planting in progress.
(left hand side of road just after Ahuroa Rd)
This country school signed on with the Enviro Schools project to create an orchard (see Central Districts Newsletter dated Spring 2012) and there should be some freshly completed autumn budding to inspect.

Time: 11:30am
Where: Cathy and Rod’s farming property, Ohura Road (SH43), Douglas (17k from Stratford)
This property is on the right side of the road. This will be our lunch break. Cathy runs a young biodynamic orchard and garden which is exemplary. Her crops are magnificent, testament to her dedication and hard work to her organic principles. The property is very neat and orderly and her wide range of plants very healthy. Cathy is also growing a crop of Mark Christensen’s heritage maize.
While here we will walk through to senior’s old orchard of about six fruit trees and a kiwifruit vine. Next we drive for 20mins to Te Wera.

Time: 2:00pm
Where: Te Wera Arboretum.
This area was planted out as a trial block back in 1956 by Taranaki foresters. It is mainly conifer and Eucalyptus with some Quercus. A pleasant loop walk up through the forest and back down to the car park is advisable to see the best of the trees. Some of the trees’ name tags are missing – perhaps we will have some tree buffs amongst us to solve the un-named species.

Time: 4:00pm
Where: Purangi Orchard.
Ian and Laurel’s property ‘Purangi Orchard’ is about 3⁄4 – 1 hr’s drive from Te Wera via Mohakau and Matau Road, through one of the legendary East Taranaki tunnels and over a couple of saddles. It is a narrow and windy road in parts and most of it is unsealed.
Purangi is situated on the banks of the Waitara River in papa country of steep hills, bluffs and a fertile valley floor, known for its impressive frosts, the best plums and great country hospitality. We will be staying the night.

Sleeping provisions: The old Purangi Schoolhouse sleeps five marae style and this can be bulked up to ten people with blow up mattresses. You can of course sleep in your vehicle or bring a tent. Cost is $10 per person regardless of where you sleep! There is one shower in the schoolhouse and one outdoor loo. Please indicate if you are planning on staying overnight and note to bring bedding and towels. Crockery, pots and pans all available plus gas stove and refrigerator.
– to book for the overnight stay, please contact Jane Hart.

Meals: Cater for ourselves but suggest a shared meal for Saturday night and the Aitkens will have a gas barbeque available for those requiring it.

A little information about their property: off-grid, relying mostly on solar. Their crops include walnuts, feijoas, plums, apples, peaches, loquats, forestry trees of pines, Douglas Fir Sequoia sempervirens and in the nursery, Chinese fir Cunninghamii lanceolata, Redwoods and a vigorous forestry walnut from China and Himalaya.
The original Purangi Orchard was planted in the 1930’s.
Ian has based his apple collection (by grafting) from both their old orchard and an old commercial orchard of 80 trees on the Ngatoto Road (across the Waitara River). This orchard has now gone – the 1990 flood put paid to that – but the pear trees survive despite producing gnarly small inedible fruit. We plan to visit the pear trees and enormous oak trees growing close by. One of the oaks is the largest recorded oak of its age in the New Zealand.

Ian being a very capable mechanic also has many interesting pieces of machinery (especially milling equipment) to cope with the variety of jobs that confront him in his daily routine. Laurel now has a nut cracker for the walnut crop.

We have late Saturday afternoon and Sunday till 2pm to enjoy Purangi Orchard and the old Ngatoto Road Orchard.

To get back to SH3 proceed out through Tarata to Inglewood where Junction Road joins the main road.

For those travelling out to Purangi for Sunday only, the start time will be 9am.

For any further information or to book for the overnight stay, please contact Jane Hart

Sunday 10th February 2013

Time: 9.45am Start
Bring: Lunch and a drink
Where: Delta Gardens, 151 Walkers Road, Longburn, Palmerston North.

A commercial flower and pick-your-own vegetable growing operation, run by Neville and Sheryl Dickey. A wide variety of flowers and foliage is grown, outdoors and under 1.5ha [3.7 acres] of greenhouse cover, mainly supplying two family operated florist shops.
Vegetables grown include…potatoes, peas, beans, broad beans, carrots and raspberries. Viewing this property will reveal many clever growing techniques and ideas, potentially adaptable to your own circumstances.

Lunch: Midday at Delta Gardens for AGM.
In keeping with past practice, a short and un-arduous AGM will coincide with lunch.
Originally established by Bernie Hollard in 1927. A vast collection of trees, shrubs and plants, now Council managed.
A fruit and vegetable garden demonstration/trial area is also included on the property.
Lots of gardens and walkways to explore.

Afternoon…..
Where: Starter Plants – Eddie Welsh, 126 Turitea Road, Palmerston North. [around 1.30pm]
A wholesale nursery, specialising in re-vegetation natives and rarer open-ground/bedding plants… along with seasonal organic vegetable production.
While a diverse range of plant material is grown, Eddie’s main focus has centred around, Eucomis [Pineapple lily]. A bulbous perennial he has cultivated, bred and exported for many years.
An interesting property where differing tree species have been adapted for shelter belt use… A ‘Trees of the world’ arboretum planting [utilizing a flood-prone waste area]… plus an assortment of productive fruit and nut trees… all worthy of inspection.
Plant sales on the day… cash only, no eftpos.
Note – this is a rare opportunity to visit this property that is seldom open for public perusal. Eddie is a former Massey lecturer and highly regarded for his immense horticultural knowledge and entertaining demeanour!