Field Days & Meetings
* Visitors welcome at all our functions.
This list of events is typical of what you can attend to learn about tree cropping.
Events are advertised by your local branch newsletter, which is included in your membership fee.
PLEASE respect our generous hosts' property and other visitors' peaceful attendance. Bring NO pets.
Beware of health and safety hazards which may exist - children must be supervised. Bring sturdy footwear and suitable clothing. Let's all enjoy our day!
July 2008
Tree and Plant Sale 2008
Supported by nurseries and growers from a wide area
10% commission on sales to the Tree Crops Association to fund tree crop research
Something for everyone. Fruit & nut trees. Shrubs. Produce.
Trees for shade and shelter. Growing-on lines. Natives.
Where
Hamilton Gardens Camellia Carpark Enter Gate 2 from Cobham Drive, nearly opposite Grey Street. A short distance down the drive, on the left, is the entrance to the carpark. This is a large sealed area, with room for buyers and sellers to park.
Social Occasion
Even if you don't intend to buy or sell, come along anyway. Dally a while, browse, chat and have a snack.
Who Can Come
It is open to all. Tell your friends and neighbours about it – they don't need to be members to attend. You can buy or sell, or do a little of both, look, talk trees and ask questions, or just come to find out what it is all about.
What to Bring
Practically anything! Grafted fruit and nut trees. Cuttings of trees and shrubs. Seedlings of all sorts. Garden plants.
What you can buy
Almost anything could turn up on the day. But there will be a solid backstop of good quality grafted fruit and nut trees of all sorts, new and old varieties – including many varieties of citrus (including acid free), varieties of plums, heritage and high health apples and hazelnuts, ornamentals, farm trees and natives.
The Unusual
Usually there are some more unusual cropping trees, such as pinenuts, pomegranates and carobs. On occasions we have had macadamias offered, casimiroas and olives. There could also be low chill apricots, persimmons and avocados. We make no promises, but sometimes it happens, so it pays to come along and check out what appears on the day. Remember, always expect the unexpected!
June 2008
Visit to the Greenspace, 1pm Saturday 14 June
Te Aroha St., Hamilton
The Greenspace is the home of a business developed by Tree Crops member Annie and her husband Dave. Together, they have modified a character bungalow into a unique meeting and business environment that is a blend of eco-friendly design and high-tech features. Outside, Annie has worked with permaculture principles to integrate tree and berry crops with salad and other vegetables. Come and have a look, see a video of how the bungalow was modified, the gardens developed and what they look like now. Annie is keen to hear how the young trees can be pruned to fit the site. Tea and coffee provided.
May 2008
BioChar, Composting, Citrus Pruning
1pm Sunday 18 May
Meet at McInnes Place for a demonstration of how to easily produce biochar from prunings and a compost-based winter garden, followed by afternoon tea and a discussion on pruning of a variety of citrus in the Waikato at Glen Lynne Ave. Access to the McInnes Place section is steep, assistance willingly provided. Bring raincoats if the day is wet.
Ever wanted to see a P-lab? Before you rush off to contact the police, Alfred hastens to add that it is a pyrolysis lab! Pyrolysis is the name for the process used to manufacture biochar, which is promoted as one of THE big options for reducing global climate change. Hear the whys and wherefores and see how it can be a simple DIY project, using up all those old prunings hanging around your section. Alfred also runs a large compost-based winter garden in this gully section and has some experiments underway on pruning a variety of citrus to discuss over afternoon tea.
April 2008
Friday 25 - Sunday 27 April 2008
Eastwoodhill Road Trip – ANZAC Weekend 2008 -
Join the luxury coach from Hamilton (via Tauranga) to the autumn glory of Eastwoodhill Arboretum - more details...
March 2008
2008 March 28~30th - NZ Tree Crops Association National Conference, CROMWELL!
February 2008
Hi Folks,
It's our AGM on 24 February, at Bethy's place near KioKio. On wet or fine.
The day begins at 10:30am with a cuppa and tour of her property.
23 February is the Goodlife Expo at the Hamilton Gardens. Check your latest newsletter for details of both events.
Please don't forget the AGM.
See you there.
Regards,
Jim.
January 2008
Walnut trial day - Saturday 12 January
Nick and Ros's place, McClure Street Pirongia - beginning with lunch and a discussion at 12noon.
Bring your own lunch. Your branch will provide tea and coffee.
Check your December newsletter for more detail.
November 2007
Hi Folks -
The 25 November is the day of our end of year function and final field day of the year.
The day starts at 10:30am with a cuppa. We tour the property at about 11:00am followed by lunch at approximately 12:30pm.
Maureen is our host. She lives at Maungakawa Road, Te Miro. If you are coming from Hamilton, she is on the left about 3km past the Te Miro School. Tree Crops signs will identify the location.
The committee will provide some wine, some fruit juice, 5kgs of sausages, some condiments, and tea, coffee and biscuits. There will also be a spit roasted lamb.
This is a pot luck event, so please bring two courses. Please be generous with portions. Don't forget your eating and drinking equipment and some of your favourite tipple if you wish.
For more details refer to Page 2 in your November(December) Newsletter.
Hope to see you there,
Cheers,
Jim.
October 2007
Saturday 13 October. Tree Crops FD.
Our field day at the property of Roland and Annette, Robertson Road off Whatawhata Road 3km out of Dinsdale begins at noon with lunch (bring your own). Tour of the property begins at 1:00pm sharp. Check your September newletter for details.
The committee will provide tea and coffee. Bring a cup.
You will also be able to purchase the Mortimer's book "Trees and Their Bark" for $10 a copy.
Hope you can make the field day.
Jim.
September 2007
Hi Folks,
Have you collected your scion (grafting ) wood for our grafting evening? If not you may still have time.
Do you have any old varieties of fruit trees in your area that are still producing good quality fruit with little or no human intervention? If so please see if you can acquire some scion wood from them for your own use and for sharing with others at our grafting evening. Your committee has been asked if our Branch would be interested in assisting with sourcing and planting high health easy care fruit trees on public land in parts of the Waipa County, a request we are giving serious consideration to. Historical Societies often have knowledge of such trees.
Collecting Scion Wood.
You will need:- secateurs, rubber bands, plastic bags (bread bags are ideal), waterproof labels and a marking pen.
Choose healthy wood that has grown during the past growing season. Check to see that the buds are all in good condition and are not about to burst into life. Water shoots which grow straight up make good grafting/scion wood. Trim your shoots to about 250mm-300mm in length. Shorter lengths are fine too.
Bundle and label shoots from each tree as you go. Place in your pastic bag until you have enough to loosely fill the bag. Wrap the cut ends in soggy absorbent paper such as newspaper, place back in your plastic bag, soggy paper end first, tie off the bag and place on a shelf in your fridge door as soon as possible. Your grafting wood is less likely to be damaged stored in the door of your fridge.
We expect to have root stock suitable for grafting pip and stone fruit, but unfortunately we cannot guaranty this.
Time is running out fast for collecting scion wood. The weather over the next few days is supposed to be free of rain, so if you can , do your collecting then.
Hope to see you at our grafting evening on a Monday evening around the middle of September. Details in our next newsletter.
Jim.
July 2007
Tree and Plant Sale 2007
Saturday 7 July 10.00 am — 1.00pm (approx)
- Everyone welcome (Tell your Friends)
- Many types of trees & plants
- Bring and buy
- Bargains galore
- Some unusual items
- Supported by nurseries and growers from a wide area
- 10% commission on sales to WTCA to fund local research
- Our sale will take place wet or fine.
Stall holders set up from 9:30am
Hamilton Gardens Camellia Carpark – Gate2
Enter from Cobham Drive, nearly opposite Grey Street. A short distance down the drive, on the left, is the entrance to the carpark. This is a large sealed area, with room for buyers and sellers to park.
- Something for everyone!!
- Fruit & nut trees
- Shrubs
- Produce
- Trees for shade and shelter
- Growing-on lines
- Natives
Social Occasion
Even if you don't intend to buy or sell, come along anyway. Dally a while, browse chat and have a snack.
Who Can Come
It is open to all. Tell your friends and neighbours about it - they don't need to be members to attend. You can buy or sell, or do a little of both, look, talk trees and ask questions, or just come to find out what it is all about.
What to Bring
Practically anything! Grafted fruit and nut trees. Cuttings of trees and shrubs. Seedlings of all sorts. Garden plants.
What you can buy
Almost anything could turn up on the day. But there will be a solid backstop of good quality grafted fruit and nut trees of all sorts, new and old varieties - including many varieties of citrus (including acid free), varieties of plums, heritage and high health apples and hazelnuts, ornamentals, farm trees and natives.
The Unusual
Usually there are some more unusual cropping trees, such as pinenuts, pomegranates and carobs. On occasions we have had macadamias offered, casimiroas and olives. There could also be low chill apricots, persimmons and avocados. We make no promises, but sometimes it happens, so it pays to come along and check out what appears on the day. Remember, always expect the unexpected!
Commission on Sales
10% commission on all sales will be payable on the day. This money will be used for Tree Crop projects within our Waikato Branch area. No site charges.
June 2007
- When:
- Saturday 23 June (our shortest day). Arrive from 12.00 noon.
- What:
- Mid-winter Feast
- Where:
- View Rd, Te Kuiti - will be signs posted
- Details:
-
- Festive pot luck (shared) lunch.
- Bring a main course and nibbles or a dessert. There are some facilities for reheating food.
- If possible bring along something to share which you’ve made from your own tree crop, eg fruit cake, mead or whatever.
- Bring your favourite tipple, be it wine (homemade or otherwise), or juice.
- The committee will provide tea and coffee.
- Bring your own mugs, plates, cutlery and serving spoons, etc.
- After lunch there will be an opportunity to stroll round the top-of-the-hill paradise and see their great collection of tree crop species, including sub-tropicals. This will surprise many who think of Te Kuiti as part of the “Cold South”.
Background Our hosts were two of our very early good keen treecroppers, John being Waikato Branch Chairman and Pauline tree recorder. They travelled hundreds of kilometres, locating, assessing and recording nut trees and talking to owners. With no such things as grafted nuts available from nurseries, growing and grafting our own was the only way to get trees, but first we had find them. John was one of the very few to successfully graft walnuts in his homemade grafting box. They started out as commercial potato growers, moving on to berryfruit, spray contracting and finally beekeeping. (There are hives on the property, so allergy sufferers should bring their antihistamines.)
Celebration Bear in mind that this is a fun day, a mid-winter celebration, so come prepared to enjoy good friends, good food, and good treecropping.
2007 April 13-15th Tree Crops Association National Conference 2007, in review