Central Districts and Taranaki Branch

November/December field-day event

Date  –    Sunday 30th November
Time  –    10am start
Where –   Nelson & Pam property
                Waughs Road
                Bunnythorpe.
Bring –    Your lunch, a coat and suitable footwear.

This 7 acre property is best described as a treecropper paradise…evolving over 36 years from original bare pasture.  Inspiring features include a productive 40 tree plum orchard and a diverse collection of other fruit and nut trees, plus accompanying veggie gardens etc.

Afternoon – Lunch venue

Reo & Carolyn
Stoney Creek Road
Bunnythorpe.

Around mid-day we gather at this stunning country garden – providing a fitting location to conclude our last event for 2014.  This property offers an appealing balance of specimen trees, sweeping lawns and diverse well appointed gardens.  Entry fee – $5.00 pp – payable to the host.
 

 

Science, myths and gardening – Ken Thompson Talk

Tree Crops related
Date: Monday 17 November
Venue: Meeting space, ground floor, Public Library, George St
Time: 7-9pm

The New Zealand Ecological Society is delighted to be hosting this evening event as part of its annual conference, being held at Massey University, 16-20 November, 2014.

More details… Ken Thompson Talk – PDF poster
 

November field-day event

Date    –  Sunday 9 th November
Time   –  10am start
Where –  Morning – property of Fred & Judy
Currins Road
Linton, Palmerston North [vehicle parking on roadside verge]
Bring –  Your lunch, a coat and suitable footwear.

A long-established nursery

This extensively planted 7 acre tree property has been over 50 years in the making by the same owners, who were closely involved with the Manawatu tree-nursery industry prior to retirement.  A wide selection of specimen trees [some rare], extensive shelter planting, fruit trees, veggie gardens, green houses etc and abundant birdlife make this property rather special.
City suburban living is the next challenge facing Fred and Judy, so this is an opportunity to inspect their rural-lifestyle creation before it is sold.

Afternoon – One man, one digger

Mike’s property
Millricks Line
Linton.

One man, one digger…..  This 10 acre property offers inspiration to budding pond builders looking for design ideas and construction techniques.  Along with the ponds, there is a mature olive grove, numercitrus and other fruit trees.  Amenity plantings also grace this block.  Mike’s enthusiasm could best be described as infectious!

 

July field-day – Apple pruning and Hazelnuts, overnighter….

This event is scheduled over two days and features an apple tree pruning workshop at a Levin orchard, overnight accommodation at Nga Tawa Girls School at Marton – including dinner and two guest speakers.
Then on Sunday, visiting a commercial hazelnut orchard north-west of Hunterville.

Date –

Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th July 2014

Program –

Saturday – 10.00am – Apple Orchard – Hokio Beach Road Levin.
Here we join with the Wgtn/Horowhenua Treecrops branch for a hands-on pruning day.
We get professional tuition on pruning, experiencing both restorative pruning and annual maintenance techniques.  You will get to physically prune apple trees.  We lunch at the orchard.
Bring – your lunch, loppers, pruning saw and secateurs, a coat and suitable footwear.
A pruning ladder too if possible, although some ladders are available on site.

4.30pm – ‘Nga Tawa Girls School’, Calico Line Marton. 5.00pm – 6.00pm
pre-dinner socializing.  6.00pm dinner, followed by two speakers.

First presentation – Dr Mike Nichols [retired ex Massey] speaking on his horticultural adventures around the world.  Mike is a horticultural consultant and has travelled the globe advising on food production for a number of years [hands-on stuff we can relate to].  He still regularly visits remote and amazing locations and is widely versed in horticulture… even commercial-hydroponic cannabis production [for medicinal use… of course]!

Second presentation – Murray Redpath, speaking on hazelnuts.  Murray is chairperson of the NZ Hazelnut Growers Assn and is the leading authority on hazelnut production in the country.  He is also an experienced nurseryman and commercial grower.

Sunday – 10.00am Hazelnut Orchard, Turakina Valley Road, Hunterville.
[21kms from Hunterville via Ongo Road].  This property is located in an isolated and idyllic spot, comprising 4000 established hazelnut trees.  Here we get a guided tour of the operation plus a pruning demonstration [weather permitting] by Murray Redpath.
Bring your lunch, suitable footwear and a coat.

Attendance –

Both the Levin apple pruning workshop and Hunterville hazelnut orchard visit are free entry events.

 

May 2014 two properties field-day event

Date – Sunday 25th May

Time – 10am start

Where – Paloma Gardens, Pohutukawa Lane, Fordell.

Bring – Your lunch, a coat and suitable footwear.

Clive and Nicki live the ultimate horticulture dream.  Being avid plant and tree enthusiasts for many years they have amassed a highly respected private collection of varied material, sourced from several continents around the world.
Plant species range from foliage, bamboos, cycads, palms, succulents/cacti right through to extensive tree arboretum plantings on their surrounding farm property….with even the odd fruiting tree included.  Various themed gardens with quirky garden structures, sculpture and ponds etc all have unique appeal….not to mention the included humour aspect!

It is hoped to have Clive join us for an informative wander.

We lunch at the garden.

Afternoon

Marc & Vanessa property – around 1pm-ish

Situated at Denlair Road.

In its development phase, but this property also includes some interesting plant and tree material.  More especially, Marc’s evolving collection of varied citrus varieties.  Rather interesting too, their work-in-progress garden, featuring mortar-rendered straw-bale walls, a wood-fired outdoor bath and other neat ideas.

With Marc being a qualified horticulturist/arborist and plant devotee, we’ll be ensured of an ‘inspirational’ visit.
 

March field-day & Annual General Meeting

We visit two contrasting, neighbouring properties for this event.
The first, originally a pastoral grazing block [in town] that has evolved over time into a sustainable woodlot/lifestyle holding.
And the second, a property, purposely planted over 50 years, establishing an exotic woodland garden environment.

Program

Central Districts Branch 2014 AGM and March field day will visit two contrasting, neighbouring properties

February Field-day – Taranaki overnighter

This has become a popular annual event and a highlight on the Central Districts field-day calendar. A two-day format, where we visit an array of diverse and interesting horticultural properties in the Taranaki region.

Date –

Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th February 2014

Time –

10 am start at ‘Return to Earth’ Colson Road Refuse Dump, New Plymouth. [Located at Colson Road-end]

Bring –

Your sleeping requirements and enough food rations for two lunches, one breakfast and an evening meal on Saturday. As an option, a restaurant facility is available at the motel for dinner on Saturday night and Sunday morning breakfast.

Accommodation –

Sentry Hill Truckstop Motel – 56 Mountain Road, State Hwy 3A N.P www.sentryhill.co.nz
Provision is available for motorhomes/caravans and tents.
An overnight ‘block-booking’ has been arranged for our group.

Program [tentative]

Saturday –

10am – ‘Return to Earth’, a commercial composting facility based at the Colson Road refuse dump. Turning green matter into wonderful compost.

12.30pm – Natural Fare Hydroponics, 456 Corbett Road, NP (Russell Jordan). A well established producer growing salad greens, flowers and herbs. Supplying Nth Island outlets and eateries.

2.30pm – Jim & Alison’s property, Holly Oak Tce., NP (off Junction Road – State Hwy. 3). A bedding and vegetable seedling operation supplying Taranaki garden centres.

Sunday –

9am – Michielsen’s Tree Nursery, Waitara Road, Brixton NP.
Deciduous tree propagation specialists, including fruit trees. Three tree blocks to visit.

12pm – Brian & Sandra’s property, Mountain Road [State Hwy 3A] NP. A commercial tamarillo orchard with around 4500 trees in production. An insight into ‘psyllid’ damage/control. We lunch at this property.