NZTCA Franklin Branch aug 2014 newsletter

NEW ZEALAND TREE CROPS ASSOCIATION FRANKLIN BRANCH NEWSLETTER

In this edition...

Volume 35, Issue 3 - August, 2014

Farmlands 2014 smallBlock Sunday Seminar...

Forthcoming events...

August 17th 10 am - Grafting Workshop October 11th 1:30 pm - Ideas on what to do at Graham and Jill Wheeler’s November TBC - Food Forest: a presentation by James Samuels December th 10 am - our Branch’s Christmas Do Sunday 7th December

Reminder All TCA members are welcome at other meetings so look at the web site to see Events coming up www.treecrops.org.nz Articles appearing in this newsletter may be reproduced in whole or in part provided that credit is given to the Franklin Branch of the NZ Tree Crops Association and the Author.

TCA Branch Newsletters

Each area Newsletter Editor receives a copy of the other branches Newsletters by email. If you are interested in getting these forwarded to you, please let Heather Douglas know at email: heather.douglas12@gmail.com

Welcome to New Members: Sian Noble-Campbell Rajesh Prasad Kirsten Corson Julie Fox Kirsten & Sandra Seamer Barry & Natalie Uren Bennie & Lezanda Durand Philip & Karen Baumann Peter & Jeannie Hayden Micky Cunningham

2014 Pruning Workshop...

A Food Forest...

2014 Grafting Workshop

Sunday 17th August, 10:00 am start at Ian Laing’s barn, Hunter Road, Patumahoe.

MM6 apple rootstock will be available at $3 each. This is your chance to learn to graft with expert assistance and then take home and plant your new trees.

Please bring a very sharp craft knife and scion wood for the apple variety you want to grow (save wood of the same thickness from your July prunings). We will have some donated scion wood but varieties won’t be known until closer to the date. Grafting wax and tape will be supplied.

NB: Available at the grafting workshop: iSomate 4Play Mating Disruptor for control of codling & leaf roller moth. $1 each. See Buy Sell & Swap (page 7) for link to more info.

Ideas on what to do...

Saturday 11th October 2014 1.30 pm at Graham and Jill Wheeler’s 33 Needham Road Runicman. Topic for the day is “Ideas on what to do “. Graham is creating a Food Forest.

He has bees, Veg gardens and does woodworking.

developing a theme: proposing a Franklin Food Forest

Food foresting was a part of our July field day, is looked at on the October field day and is proposed as a branch project for a Franklin Food Forest. Is this a theme for our Branch to commit to? What is involved in designing a food forest, how do we go about it and where could one be established?

We are bringing food forest expert James Samuels over from Waiheke Island to discuss these questions and more for our November field day - the date and venue is to be confirmed.

Christmas Function

Sunday 7th December 2:30 pm at Pat and Sue Tetley’s Waiau Pa property Bring a Christmas plate for afternoon tea.

Lynda Hallinan presents at the smallBlock Seminar

Franklin TreeCroppers

Farmlands smallBlock Sunday Seminar...

TCA Franklin newsletter

What a great turn out to our 2nd smallBlock Sunday Seminar. We had just over 100 people attend. The committee would like this to be an annual event and we do hope that you, our members, can offer some support in the running of this event in the future.

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Letter from the Chair

Lots happening in the next few months as we wind down 2014 so check out the details in this newsletter. There is still some MM106 apple rootstock available if you have not already placed an order for the grafting workshop on 17th August..

I thank all the members of the committee who gave their time to make this event a success.

August, 2014

Oh, and don’t forget the 4play mating disruptor that will be available for purchase at the August field day.

Raewyn Jarkiewicz

Catering to the needs of those who want more from their small or lifestyle blocks. That was the theme of Franklin’s second smallBlock Sunday Seminar held on Sunday June 22nd in the Puni School Hall.

The seminars covered a range of topics.

First up was Dion Keppell from local renewable energy firm What Power Crisis. Dion talked about generating electricity from solar power panels.

If you want to become less dependent on the national grid for your electricity, or want to give more weight to your green economy beliefs, then give Dion a call. Those are very valid reasons for installing solar panels at home. But when all of my reading and economic calculations tell me that electricity generated from solar pv (photovoltaic) panels is not yet an economic proposition, I have to challenge the presenter.

The renewable energy subject is not simple and has many fish-hooks.

One such fish-hook is the non-zero maintenance requirements of solar pv panels. Another is the decline in a solar panel’s electricity generation over its lifetime. Yet another is the proportion of home generation that is used to offset home consumption, versus that sold to the grid.

But the main challenge to the economics of solar electricity generation is the unsustainability of electricity suppliers buying electricity from home generators at the same price they sell it at.

...bigger and better in 2014

Franklin TreeCroppers TCA Franklin newsletter 3

Organic and biological farming is a subject rapidly gaining more credence in farming newspapers and magazines. Agriculture NZ run a Certificate in Organic Farming course in Pukekohe and course presenter Micky Cunningham showed her passion for the subject in her presentation.

Micky highlighted a changing rural landscape: from the mono-culture of intensive cropping and grazing reliant on artificial fertilisers, fungicides and pesticides; to bio-diversified crops and pastures supported by biological pest control and soil management. Sustainable farming practices are the goal of this organic and biological approach.

Mathew Robertson, from local accounting firm Campbell Tyson, discussed financial planning when developing lifestyle blocks. This included the implications of various ownership structures, financial reporting and taxation, and what constituted business expenditure.

Mathew was rewarded with many questions which told me that there are many people looking for ways to use their land for more productive purposes.

This desire to get more from our small blocks represents a significant and growing opportunity for the economic, environmental and social development of the Franklin area and by extension, the Auckland and Waikato Districts.

So do the planning priorities and strategic direction of the Auckland Council and Waikato District recognise and support that opportunity?

It is not easy to divine an answer to that question.

One of the strategic directions of Auckland City is to “… keep Auckland productive, protected and environmentally sound.”

At a high level, the words are aligned with the opportunity that lifestyle block owners represent. But what the downto-earth impact of Council policy is, is not so clear.

For next year’s smallBlock Sunday Seminar, I would like to see the Auckland and Waikato Councils detail how their policy implementations support these ambitions and unlock the productive potential that lifestyle block owners hold the key to.

John Allen

August, 2014

Lynda Hallinan spoke about which fruit trees to plant for earning an income at farmers markets. In her usual comedic and highly informative style, Lynda shared her encyclopaedic garden knowledge with the insight of an expert and the humility of someone we can all relate to.

Franklin TreeCroppers

Field Trip report: 2014 Pruning Workshop We had a great turnout for the Pruning Workshop on July .....

Starting at the Pukekohe High School orchard, Sandy and Ian Cooper demonstrated the pruning of Persimmon, Pears and Kiwifruit.

TCA Franklin newsletter

We then moved on to Ian Cooper’s property for a look around the orchard (plums, avocados and the opportunity to prune some pears and apples), the glasshouse (bananas have bunches at the moment) and to have afternoon tea.

4 August, 2014

Field Trip report: a Food Forest

Franklin TreeCroppers

David and Tiffany Whyte purchased their 0.5 Ha ex-citrus orchard three years ago and are using permaculture principles to gradually move the block to be a food forest.

Around 200 fruit trees and 100 Tagasasta have been planted throughout the orchard. Elders, Kowhai and Causarina are planted for nitrogen fixing.

David swears by three books that he uses a lot.

Discovering Fruit & Nuts by Susanna Lyle is an easy-to-read, comprehensive guide to fruit and nut plants that explores old favourites, as well as many little-known yet exciting food-producers.

How to Grow Perennial Vegetables by Martin Crawford who gives comprehensive advice on all types of perennial vegetables.

David’s approach to food forests is to keep it simple. Having seven harvesting levels is more complex than David would like so he works with three levels: things he can pick off trees; ankle-high vegetables and ground covers.

---Food forests are a developing theme and one that has been proposed as a community project for Franklin Treecroppers.

Keep an eye out for the Franklin Food Forest project - TBA. John Allen

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A Field Guide to the Native Edible Plants of New Zealand by Andrew Crowe details over 190 trees, shrubs, ferns, herbs, mushrooms, lichens and seaweeds

TCA Franklin newsletter

They currently have approximately 250 citrus tree producing 5-6 tonnes of mainly navel orange and tangelo, which they wholesale to Ooooby in Auckland.

August, 2014

The food forest trial area

Prickly Pears planted on the road verge.

Tagasasta planted on the peripheral of the citrus orchard

David Whyte with his food forest trial area

Franklin TreeCroppers TCA Franklin newsletter

Franklin Branch Committee Chair Raewyn Jarkiewicz 09 292 5051 Email rjarkie@gmail.com Hon Secretary Lois Allen Ph: 09 2381357 lois@puriridowns.co.nz Hon Treasurer Ian Laing Ph 09 236 3796

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Newsletter Editor Heather Douglas Ph 09 232 1103 Email heather.douglas12@gmail.com

August, 2014

Membership Coordinator Stephanie Coles 09 236 3554 rosscoles@xtra.co.nz Field Day Convener: Stephanie Coles 09 236 3554 rosscoles@xtra.co.nz Committee: Ian Cooper Ph: 09 238 6400 coop.family@clear.net.nz Keith Dixon Ph: 09 235 2453 keithdixon@xtra.co.nz Dorothy Dixon Ph: 09 235 2453 keithdixon@xtra.co.nz The date on your newsletter label shows when your membership is due for renewal.

A Field day at your property?

This can be useful if you have something you would like to show us, some problem that we can discuss and help with, or you need ideas of what to plant.

Please have a chat with someone on the committee or just let us know that you would like us to include your place, and the best time of year for you.

Field Day driving directions.

August 17th 10 am - Grafting Workshop

Ian Laing’s property is on Hunters Road, off the Patumahoe Road at the railway crossing just south of the Patumahoe village. Travel 900m east to the Treecrops Event Signage.

September - no Field day

October 11th 1:30 pm - Ideas on what to do Graham and Jill Wheeler’s property at 33 Needham Road Runicman.

From the Ararimu Road exit on SH1 (motorway), head west on Ararimu Road (go 1 km). Turn left to Great South Road (go 270m), first right on to Kern Road (go 3.0km), right on to Runciman Road (go 1.2 km), left in to Tuhimata Road (go 3.0km), right to Burtt Road (go 1.5 km), turning first right to Needham Road. #33 is 350 m on the left.

From Paerata, cross the railway line and head south east on Crown Road (go 600 m), left to Tuhimata Road (go 1.7 km) and left in to Burtt Road (go 1.5 km), turning first right to Needham Road. #33 is 350 m on the left.

SAFETY DECLARATION. For the purpose of Field Days, the properties we visit are designated as work places. As there are multiple hazards, please take particular care.

Parents are responsible for their children.

Fr a n k l i n T r ee C rop p ers Not ic e s

Franklin Buy Se ll & Swap TreeCroppers

Go Organic Part-time course starting soon - call now!

Explore the latest trends in sustainable farming through a science-based approach to a wide range of organic techniques and systems.

Ideal for lifestyle block owners, home gardeners and/or commercial growers, this course will provide key knowledge and skills required for organic growing.

This knowledge can be applied not only to food crops, but to the cultivation of any plants – from suburban gardens to pastures, orchards, shelter belts and woodlots.

In addition to attending tutorials and workshops or field trips, students will need to complete practical and theory assignments in their own time.

On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate in Organic Horticulture (Level 3). Networking between organic growing enthusiasts is an added bonus to joining this course.

Note: Minimum numbers required for course to commence.

For more information or to apply, contact us now!

COURSE DETAILS:

Pukekohe Mondays 9.30am - 2.30pm Cost: $260.00 INFORMATION SESSION:

4 August, 9.30am - 11.30am

Freephone 0800 475 455 www.agnz.co.nz

Helping grow the country

R u ra l P ro p e r t y Nancy and V iv M Bombay. Man ilne are selling their pro perty in y members will know it It is 5 acres o from field d f mostly flat ays. land with an home orchar established d containing many types There is also of fruit trees. a wood lot re ady to be har firewood. Se vested for t back from the road is th home with 3 eir north faci bedrooms p ng lus office, sp living room, acious kitch separate lou en / n ge, 2 bathro toilets. An en oms and 3 closed doub le carport is workshops. set between If you know of anyone w ho might be the property interested in , ple Higgie 021 49 ase suggest they conta ct Lea-Ann 7 517 or 09 236 6961

ew br oc hu re

Member web sites: Do you have a Web site that we can put a link to on the Newsletter? Please email us and we can add it on the next Newsletter. Include a short note on what the web site is about.

RuralConnect.org.nz Assisting rural people and businesses in the broadband society

August, 2014

Topics covered include organic philosophies, certification, soil management, soil food webs, composting, companion planting, crop rotation, green manures, weed control, pest and disease management, plant knowledge and an introduction to permaculture.

Although this programme has a horticultural bias, pastoral farmers wishing to get an understanding of what organic farming is all about will also find this course of value.

g .c o m

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Learn to build ecosystems, promote biodiversity and increase soil and plant health, instead of relying on artificial fertilisers and poisonous sprays.

Some prior knowledge of horticulture and growing plants is recommended although keen beginners are invited to apply.

Isomate 4Pla y Mating Dis ruptor For control o f codling an d leaf roller moth.

Place at rate of four dispen sers per 3 tree s (at a 4m * 4m spacing) in th e orchard ju st before codlin g moths app ear will release pheromones that confuse the male moth an d disrupt mat ing. cl ic k to vi

TCA Franklin newsletter

to ad ve rt is e h er e, fr ee to m em b er co n ta ct H ea s, th er D o u g la s at H ea th er @ co ld o u

In this edition...

Advice of Field Days in August 2014

NEW ZEALAND TREE CROPS

4Sale at Aug field day: 4Play Mating Disruptor

FRANKLIN BRANCH

Advance notice of November and December Field Days Report on June and July Field Days Article on:

smallBlock Sunday Seminar

NEW ZEALAND TREE CROPS ASSOCIATION FRANKLIN BRANCH NEWSLETTER Secretary: P O Box 1200, Pukekohe 2340