NZTCA Publications - "The Tree Cropper" - our Official Journal's journey

1. NZTCA Journal

Our first publication was simply called ‘Journal of the Tree Crops Association’. The Editor was David Ryde, and the first issue was published July 1975. Publication of this was finally stopped because of increased publishing costs. The last issue seems to be December 1982.

2. Growing Today

Our association made arrangements with Associated Group Media (AGM) for their magazine “Growing Today” to be our official magazine. This union commenced with the July 1983 Issue of ‘Growing Today’. NZTCA assisted with content, and Owen Long was our TCA Editor with AGM.

3. AGM ceased publication

About September 1988 AGM announced it was ceasing publication of Growing Today (but they continued to publish some of their other magazines).

4. Allan Munro steps in

Allan Munro and his company Keyline Publications, with financial and editorial assistance from NZTCA and some of its members, started publishing a new magazine, also called ‘Growing Today’. This immediately became our official magazine. Allan produced an interim issue in November 1988, and his first complete edition was Jan/Feb 1989. It started as a quarterly publication and later changed to 2-monthly.

5. NZTCA splits from Growing Today

The editorial policy of Growing Today was no longer reflecting TCA core interests, and Allan Munro offered to buy back NZTCA shares in Growing Today. On 16th April 1991 Management Committee decided to accept Allan’s offer, and Growing Today ceased to be our official publication.

6. The News Sheet

With no official magazine, Management Committee stepped into the breach by putting out to members a quarterly news sheet. No 1 was December 1991, and the last one (No. 7) was Summer 1994.

7. The Tree Cropper

At the 1994 conference members voted at the AGM to restart our own magazine, and voted to increase subscriptions to pay for it. The new magazine was named “The Tree Cropper”, and the first issue came out in September 1994.