We can't believe that some people don't like them or appreciate them. But those who do rave over them. They have to be picked at the optimum time. Too early and they have a milky weeping, too late and they tear. We need to use scissors to get them cleanly and the process is to remove the tie securing the net covering the tree, then get the ladder lent to us and climb up to get them. Then put the tie back on, which requires two people.
We have had an interesting time trying to get rid of the crop. Stephans restaurant buys them for a good price but are not always there and it is a reasonable drive up there. Ruth Pretty tends to use them for weekend functions. More local shops to try yet. We gave some to two neighbours, neither of whom had ever tasted them. It seems there is an education job to do on the population regarding the use of figs. I believe growers in Hawkes Bay are now growing more figs so they are appearing in Commonsense Organics and Moore Wilsons at a premium price.
We have one late tree yet to ripen, a huge one called Adriatic. These are Peter Daldin and Brown Turkey so far.
I had an email back from Kay Baxter of Koanga Gardens who advises planting the followiing ground cover under figs: catnip, wormwood, catmint, geraniums, dentate lavendar, pizza thyme (whatever that is) and oregano. Might try to find some of those and plant them in the autumn or winter.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Ivan makes compost, and allows for air
Well it seems there was some old wire netting hanging around under the trees near the compost, so Ivan rolled it up and placed it in the middle of the compost heap for aeration. He said he thought it up himself. "A rule of permaculture says you must recycle and reuse." When I told my sister Lesley in Christchurch about this, she said they had been doing it for years. So there is nothing new in this world!
Making seed balls
I have been wanting to plant some borage near the apples to help with attracting bees for pollination, but the ground round the trees are mulched and the grass in between is mown. I also wanted to plant coriander, which is a plant which puts its roots down deep to bring up nutrients and help with reestablishment of microbial life.
Ivan said that in Holland he learnt to make seed balls. He started with a container each of soil, sand, and water. He put seeds in the bowl, added soil and shook it. Then a bit of sand, then a spray of water. Then he repeated it till they were of decent size.
When the seeds are thrown to the ground, they remain covered in this clay until the optimal conditions for sprouting. Hopefully this will work!
Ivan said that in Holland he learnt to make seed balls. He started with a container each of soil, sand, and water. He put seeds in the bowl, added soil and shook it. Then a bit of sand, then a spray of water. Then he repeated it till they were of decent size.
When the seeds are thrown to the ground, they remain covered in this clay until the optimal conditions for sprouting. Hopefully this will work!
Ivan makes a cloche out of hazelnut vines
For some time I have been doing battle with white butterflies, winning from time to time with rosemary or pennyroyal or spray. But it is easier in the long run to protect the plants physically.
Ivan has used the saplings from the hazelnuts and tied a couple of them together to make a semicircle. These are very bendy. (they are used by water diviners for finding water). Over the top we have fine netting. He has also divided the bigger garden in two with a couple of our railway sleepers.
Ivan has used the saplings from the hazelnuts and tied a couple of them together to make a semicircle. These are very bendy. (they are used by water diviners for finding water). Over the top we have fine netting. He has also divided the bigger garden in two with a couple of our railway sleepers.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
The figs are just delicious!
Three days ago we got our first ripe figs. There is nothing so delectable. We have nets over four of the bigger trees and there are another six trees with no nets. Every morning before breakfast our wwoofer Ivan Bonafe goes out to get some fruit. This is what he brought back.
We have not yet discovered how to grow figs organically. Several websites say grow rue under them but one said the jury is out on that topic. We need to make contact with organic fig growers.
We have not yet discovered how to grow figs organically. Several websites say grow rue under them but one said the jury is out on that topic. We need to make contact with organic fig growers.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Steve shows Ivan how to test soil for clay content
Ivan is our first wwoofer. He is from the Tyrol area in Northern Italy and consequently speaks both German and Italian. He has done a lot of wwoofing round Europe and South America and since he eats only raw food is happy on a property like ours where he can eat well. He has been eating only raw food for two years and consequently it is important where he lives. Cities are no good for him!
This is a shot from the apple orchard. We have 35 heritage apples but only two have fruited this year. There are no worms in the soil. The secretary of the Levin Soil and Health has kindly provided us with a great many comfrey plants and here Steve is teaching us to plant them on the drip line of the apple. Just as well. I would have had them planted too close to the trunks. The mower will mow over them and that's fine. They will bring up good nutrients from way down deep. We will also plant lavendar and borage for bees.
To test for clay you roll a cylinder of soil and then bend it till it breaks. Ours broke at 15 degrees. You double that and that is the percentage clay of your soil = 30%.
This is a shot from the apple orchard. We have 35 heritage apples but only two have fruited this year. There are no worms in the soil. The secretary of the Levin Soil and Health has kindly provided us with a great many comfrey plants and here Steve is teaching us to plant them on the drip line of the apple. Just as well. I would have had them planted too close to the trunks. The mower will mow over them and that's fine. They will bring up good nutrients from way down deep. We will also plant lavendar and borage for bees.
To test for clay you roll a cylinder of soil and then bend it till it breaks. Ours broke at 15 degrees. You double that and that is the percentage clay of your soil = 30%.
Steve Calcinai the orchardist visits and advises
My granddaughter's school friend Wendy has a father who is an orchardist. Yesterday Steve brought three girls down from Wanganui Girls College boarding school for the day. He kindly brought a six foot tripod ladder with him and then showed us how to prune the apricot tree. He was full of all sorts of knowledge and we all learnt heaps from him.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Some of today's harvest
On Friday we had a big southeasterly storm, wild enough to stop ferry sailings in Cook Strait for a day. I was home by myself when the wind hit and the unripe quinces fell hard to the ground. Fortunately I was there to pick up the pears that fell before the birds consumed them. Two days later I spend quite a time picking up fruit - the first of the walnuts and chestnuts, more pears and plums, more peaches, tomatoes, and sweet corn. Here is some of it.
The best news is that Bryan and Susanna were here overnight with Daniel only and that the caravan now has electricity. I will take in the gas bottle to fill, and hopefully the stove will also go. It has been very sunny in patches today and after Susanna and Bryan and Daniel had gone I lay in the sun at lunchtime in the caravan and read. It was wonderful. I am thinking of changing the curtains so the colour scheme looks better...Qunices anyone?? I will have to cook the yellow peaches as they get brown rot or the birds start on them. What a shame Malcolm doesn't eat stewed fruit. Maybe I will dehydrate them, just as I did the small sweet white peaches which didn't keep long.
The best news is that Bryan and Susanna were here overnight with Daniel only and that the caravan now has electricity. I will take in the gas bottle to fill, and hopefully the stove will also go. It has been very sunny in patches today and after Susanna and Bryan and Daniel had gone I lay in the sun at lunchtime in the caravan and read. It was wonderful. I am thinking of changing the curtains so the colour scheme looks better...Qunices anyone?? I will have to cook the yellow peaches as they get brown rot or the birds start on them. What a shame Malcolm doesn't eat stewed fruit. Maybe I will dehydrate them, just as I did the small sweet white peaches which didn't keep long.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Malcolm Murchie and Deirdre Kent
This was taken in Greece when we had a trip in 2003 to Turkey, Italy, Greece and Germany. We were about to catch a train from Athens to Istanbul, not a recommended train at all. We should have gone by plane or ferry or anything...Anyway we had a great trip, especially in Turkey.
The plums have been very plentiful
We have given away so many of these plums! Still there are plenty left. But the next job is pruning the apricot and early plum trees and we are now buying an orchard ladder. My daughter Rachel was the last one to get plums and hopes to make plum sauce. She came here yesterday with her two little boys, the youngest is only a month old.
Alistair's children 2005
Nearby is Malcolm's son Alistair and his wife Caz. They have five children and the sixth is due in April. Here are the five gorgeous children last year. They are all bilingual as both parents speak Maori fluently and Alistair teaches it at the local college. Malcolm has 67 descendants.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Malcolm's meal tonight
I am not saying this typical, as the corn is just wonderful at the moment. The lettuces, beans, tomatoes and parsley are ours. Not sure if we can grow kumera here, don't think so, and one day we will have broccoli. Might have to organise a cloche for them though...Malcolm is a vegan plus fish. Deirdre had organic chicken tonight. I am having to stew a lot of peaches, apples and pears at the moment, the ones which are damaged in some way and somehow I will have get someone to help me eat it all, as Malcolm doesn't eat stewed fruit!
Some of the red pears
There are several pear trees coming ready now. Not sure of thename of this reddish pear.
A fair part of Deirdre's family Jan 06
Deirdre's larger family had a family reunion in January and these are some of her grandchildren. Son David on right lives in Christchurch with his wife Jane back left. Five children. Susanna lives in Lower Hutt with her husband Bryan and they have three children. Rachel (Wellington) and Richard (Waihi) didn't attend.
Food and work are both abundant here!
Today I picked up a third of a bucket of hazelnuts. Also brought in our first sweet corn which was utterly delicious. We now have quite a few peaches dropping. The seedling by the gate has a huge crop and they are a sweet white fleshed freestone. Still the plums are plentiful and we hope to give them all away before the birds finally discover them.
Otaki has been glorious weather today, lots were at the beach. I lay under a chestnut tree on an old wide stretcher we have, (we nearly threw it out many times and now it has a use) with a wonderful pillow. It was marvellous in the shade. Malcolm often goes to the native bush area on such days to work in the shade weeding the path.
This weekend we have had visitors as well as on Friday. Tomorrow we visit another organic orchard to get some ideas. Today we attended the Tree Crop Association for a demonstration on summer pruning and on arrival home discover we have plenty of plums, two apricots and a cherry which all need pruning, not to mention the gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants that still haven't been pruned. Today we called at an organic chicken orchard and bought some wonderful chicken manure soil, which I spread under six of our citrus. Then realised three more were to be done, so we will have to get some more. Also bought some amazing organic duck eggs which we had for dinner.
The pears are still dropping and we race the birds to them, particularly young blackbirds which spend ages eating one pear. Other jobs we need doing are planting tree lucerne to attract the bush pigeons in the bush and underplanting of all the trees with various herbs, particularly those with long roots like coriander, parsley. We think we will plant comfrey under the feijoas at the back avoiding tansy as it is can be difficult for those with allergies like me. Most locals don't complain about comfrey being invasive. One said you just mow them down anyway if you have them under apples.
I sprayed the broccoli with rhubarb juice today. We have so much more spraying of fruit trees to do with Organic 100, the seaweed and fish waste product we bought from Agrissentials, and also stilll have to scatter rock dust over more than half the property before the soil gets too cold. We heard stories of potato and carrot growers further north who were getting great results with rock dust and getting an edge on their competitors that way. This morning I sprayed the cherry with Neem oil before breakfast because it had bad pear slug and I hadn't noticed it until last Friday.
Malcolm has been clearing out the dead flower heads from the borders and discovering old tires underneath.
We are thinking of getting kunekune pigs but first of all have to buy some electric fencing. Also we may get ducks or geese.
We sure need help on this property and will soon buy a tripod orchard ladder. We have some wonderful tools now and the good new mulcher is there waiting to be used. It looks as though the mowing is now imminent after the rain. People from the Tree Crops Association told us today they lusted after our mower, it is a Wilson, the best.
Otaki has been glorious weather today, lots were at the beach. I lay under a chestnut tree on an old wide stretcher we have, (we nearly threw it out many times and now it has a use) with a wonderful pillow. It was marvellous in the shade. Malcolm often goes to the native bush area on such days to work in the shade weeding the path.
This weekend we have had visitors as well as on Friday. Tomorrow we visit another organic orchard to get some ideas. Today we attended the Tree Crop Association for a demonstration on summer pruning and on arrival home discover we have plenty of plums, two apricots and a cherry which all need pruning, not to mention the gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants that still haven't been pruned. Today we called at an organic chicken orchard and bought some wonderful chicken manure soil, which I spread under six of our citrus. Then realised three more were to be done, so we will have to get some more. Also bought some amazing organic duck eggs which we had for dinner.
The pears are still dropping and we race the birds to them, particularly young blackbirds which spend ages eating one pear. Other jobs we need doing are planting tree lucerne to attract the bush pigeons in the bush and underplanting of all the trees with various herbs, particularly those with long roots like coriander, parsley. We think we will plant comfrey under the feijoas at the back avoiding tansy as it is can be difficult for those with allergies like me. Most locals don't complain about comfrey being invasive. One said you just mow them down anyway if you have them under apples.
I sprayed the broccoli with rhubarb juice today. We have so much more spraying of fruit trees to do with Organic 100, the seaweed and fish waste product we bought from Agrissentials, and also stilll have to scatter rock dust over more than half the property before the soil gets too cold. We heard stories of potato and carrot growers further north who were getting great results with rock dust and getting an edge on their competitors that way. This morning I sprayed the cherry with Neem oil before breakfast because it had bad pear slug and I hadn't noticed it until last Friday.
Malcolm has been clearing out the dead flower heads from the borders and discovering old tires underneath.
We are thinking of getting kunekune pigs but first of all have to buy some electric fencing. Also we may get ducks or geese.
We sure need help on this property and will soon buy a tripod orchard ladder. We have some wonderful tools now and the good new mulcher is there waiting to be used. It looks as though the mowing is now imminent after the rain. People from the Tree Crops Association told us today they lusted after our mower, it is a Wilson, the best.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Broccoli and tomatoes
Malcolm has extended the vege garden and Susanna has planted marigolds round the broccoli. We will also cover them. However the tomatoes are being eaten, possibly by rabbits or birds, not sure.we get plenty of tomatoes from the hothouse though.
Tereana with plum in her mouth
I guess this speaks for itself. Tereana is 14 and is boarding at Wanganui Girls College. She loves riding round the property.
Chestnuts Feb 06 and general comment about food so far
It looks as though there will be a good crop of chestnuts as well as walnuts this year. So far we have eaten beans, potatoes, tomatoes, basil, parsley and soon there will be corn and Maori potatoes. In the fruit line there have been loquats (Dec before we came here), plums, grapes, and nowadays we are getting windfall pears and peaches. but the rabbits are eating the chives I have planted under some fruit trees and the birds are eating pears. I am about to change some CDs so that they frighten away more birds. We had tabouli today, made from all the parsley that is growing.
Hazelnuts before the coating comes off
This is how they are camouflaged. It takes a bit to peel the coating off. They hide among the brown leaves under the hazelnuts. The ones that fall on the lawn are easier to pick up especially if their coating is still light green
Hazelnuts manage to camouflage themselves well
It wasn't until the former owners turned up for a visit that we found we had hazelnuts under the trees too. They can be used in three weeks and this is our first batch drying in the sun.
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