Not your usual bottle of red

If you’re already impressed with the unique avour and vibrancy of Zespri’s RubyRed kiwifruit, why not go a step further and try it in cider form?

is crimson coloured fruit hit shelves late last year with people eager to get their hands on it.

Husband and wife duo, Simon and Rowena Pearce who own and operate a Te Puna based cidery, couldn’t wait to experiment with red kiwifruit either.

“We’ve been hanging out for that since we heard about it and we have a few contacts and we managed to get our fruit last year for the rst trial,” says Rowena.

Sourcing their kiwifruit from Apata in Aongatete, Rowena and Simon were thrilled to start pouring out their very own Red Kiwifruit Cider last October.

“We’re about a year behind, so what you’re tasting now is the fruit that came in last year,” says Rowena.

As head cider maker, Simon says he likes to see “how far you can push the boundaries with fruit.”

With their Red Kiwifruit Cider, the kiwifruit is crushed along with cider apples. “ ey are co-fermented together, and the ferment goes for about three weeks, so it’s just a nice core ferment just to keep those tropical avours in.”

Simon and Rowena originally come from a wine background, so crushing reds must give a sense of nostalgia.

“[Red kiwifruit] is a really cool colour when it ferments. It’s almost like a uro red,” says Simon.

He says peoples’ responses to their Red Kiwifruit Cider is “pretty unusual” at rst. “ ey didn’t really know how to get it.” Yet, in the past couple of months it’s gaining popularity.

“It’s just come into its own,” says Rowena.

“It’s unique. It’s really hard to describe. It’s tropical almost like a guava, but it’s got some kiwifruit notes in there as well, and of course it’s blended with apple so you’ve got the apple and the kiwifruit thing going on,” says Simon. is year’s red kiwifruit blend is not far from the glass either.

“We’re releasing this year’s one in about two weeks.” ese eco-friendly subdivisions foster a win-win situation for both landowners and the community, paving the way for sustainable development in an increasingly eco-conscious world.

Simon says come and try it!

In Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Coromandel, landowners can leverage ‘environmental bene t lot’ rules to maximise their rural property’s potential while supporting ecological conservation.

Environmental bene t lots o er a unique opportunity for landowners to create additional lifestyle blocks on their property by setting aside features such as native bush, stream margins and even small wetland areas.

Environmentally responsible

Many councils across the central North Island of New Zealand, including Western Bay of Plenty, Matamata Piako, Whakatane, Rotorua Lakes, Waikato, Hauraki, ames Coromandel, Waipa, South Waikato, Otorohanga, and Waitomo have speci c rules and regulations that govern the subdivision process.

Understanding the requirements is crucial for landowners seeking to create sustainable subdivisions. Engaging with a subdivision specialist company that is familiar with regional guidelines ensures compliance and streamlines the path to environmentally responsible development. Your project manager will work with various experts, such as ecologists, land surveyors, subdivision planners and engineers to maximise the potential of your land while ensuring compliance with regional rules and regulations. Together, these professionals can identify and quantify ecologically signi cant areas on a property and explore options for land restoration. ese can include planting native trees, fencing o stream margins, pest control, and restoring wetlands for water quality improvements.

To qualify for a subdivision the ecological feature must be well maintained and protected in perpetuity. is is enforced by a covenant registered on the land title following the subdivision and often backed up with an ecological management plan which outlines speci c measures to protect and enhance the environment, from fencing and pest control to revegetation and ongoing maintenance. ese measures lay the foundation for long-term environmental stewardship.

Careful management

Understanding the plethora of rules relating to subdivision can be a mission. It is important to partner with a specialist subdivision company that is experienced in these developments. Often farms can contain several ecological features which provide opportunities either separately or combined. Careful management and often staged developments are required to obtain the best development opportunity from your features.

Once the necessary consents are obtained from your District Council, landowners can bring their sustainable subdivision vision to life. e planning of the subdivision, registration of titles to your new sections with Land Information NZ, and ongoing support and guidance throughout the development process are all handled by a project manager from the specialist subdivision company. All you need is the land and potential ecological features to leverage the opportunity and create a sustainable, pro table subdivision. If you think your property may have what it takes, we are happy to give you the time to discuss the full potential of your land so feel free to give us a call and discuss your situation.