Latest highlights:
The planting programme – on the ground
Nursery happenings
An afternoon with the Matakohe Garden Circle
On the air
Subs time
Local government elections
The planting programme – on the ground
As I said in the last Update, we had a team from Spark Foundation out to do some planting with the Roadleys at Batley. It was a brilliantly fine day, and it was a great success including the hospitality back at the homestead. The Foundation have said they’d like to make it an annual event, so we must have managed to make it an enjoyable, memorable experience for them – very different from life on Queen St.
The following Thursday the Matakohe School students planted about 360 trees at Ruatuna, the ancestral home of Gordon Coates, the first NZ-born Prime Minister. I did a press release which resulted in stories in the Northern Advocate (see p2 last Saturday), The Kaipara Lifestyler and Heritage NZ’s monthly newsletter. I predict a great future for this as an ongoing project for the school. Here’s a link to the Lifestyler article: http://www.kaiparalifestyler.co.nz/Of_Interest.cfm?NewsID=9965
The Reconnecting Northland team arrived at Maungaturoto late morning last Monday with their spades and 7,000 plants. By the end of that day there were 2,000 fewer to plant. By my calculations, depending on the ground conditions and the extent to which there was help in getting the plants laid out, they could each plant about 100 trees per hour – and keep at it all day. The landowners were all very impressed with their workmanship and their work ethic. It was indeed a pleasure having them here.
As indicated a couple of days ago, there will be a community planting day on Saturday 23rd July at Lupton’s Marohemo Rd. I will send out reminders closer to the time. Cockings are nearly ready to roll as well.
Nursery happenings
A few weeks back the Otamatea High School Primary Industries class came to visit, had a look over our plantings around the property, and then helped out in the nursery with some potting up, weeding and trimming of trees. We also had one of our regular working bees to stay on top of the potting up. It will probably be time for another one next week.
I have sent off some harakeke and ti kouka seed to Nga Rakau Nurseries for propagation, so that will cause a flurry of activity when the new babies come back.
An afternoon with the Matakohe Garden Circle
Yesterday I had the pleasure of addressing the monthly meeting of the MGC down at the Pahi Hall. They were a very receptive audience, and asked good questions, probably better than the answers! I think next time I might have to unleash the fruit cake – it would be great to show them over the nursery closer to summer. One result is that there are now 166 people on this group email.
On the air
Be watching next week’s Country Calendar to see Kaiwaka’s Worsfold family showing us their nursery operation and no doubt a few stories surrounding it. Looking forward to it, Heath.
Subs time
It’s about time I got around to asking for membership subscriptions. At the AGM it was decided they should remain at $10. Membership of the society is quite separate from being a “Friend of Otamatea HarbourCare”, so you don’t need to be a member in order to receive Updates, which we’d like circulated as widely as possible. Paying $10 and becoming a member means that you will be entitled to vote at general meetings and you are also supporting our work financially. Of course we’d accept donations at any time. A membership application form is attached. If you do want to become a member, the ideal would be to complete the form and email it back to me, and pay your $10 by internet banking. The account details are on the form. We will also accept cash or cheques, but that means someone having to write out a receipt and get the money banked somewhere – not so easy now the Money Exchange has closed.
If you are going to use internet banking could you please indicate in the appropriate space whether it is a sub or a donation, or both.
Local government elections
You may be aware that Graeme Ramsey has decided not to stand again as the Kaipara Ward member for the Northland Regional Council. I have decided to stand in his place, as I think I have a lot to contribute with my background experience and my passion for restoring the health of the Kaipara Harbour – just about all of the ward is in its catchment. I expect there will be an election – I know of two other worthy candidates so far, and I look forward to debating the issues with them.