SOLLYS

Contractors

Providing Transport, Construction and Earthmoving services since 1928

EARTHMOVING & CONTRACTING:

House sites

Driveways

Culvert installations

Drainage

Land development

Farm maintenance

Ph Tony 027 354 0500 or 525 9843

FOR ALL YOUR CARTAGE NEEDS:

General Freight

Storage

Bulk Cartage

Livestock

SUPPLIER OF:

Stock Feed

Fertilisers

Spreading: Spreadmark certified with GPS mapping

Aggregates

Compost, garden bark, landscape gravels

Pea straw

Phone 525 9843

At the end of Upper Tukurua Road is a local business that not only offers a place to stay, but also a tranquil array of native and exotic plants in an expansive garden setting, overlooking the Bay.

Mark Houghton-Brown (experienced organic farmer and businessman) bought the property in 2006, with the intention of having a lovely holiday home for the family, an accommodation business that supports local employment, and an all-season perennial permaculture garden that was both beautiful and productive.

The accommodation business has developed over the years into a selection of self-contained, modernised units. “As our boys have grown up and prefer the bright lights of Nelson, the lodge itself is becoming available too,” explains Mark.

The gardens were quite formal, with a mix of woodlots, regenerating natives, lawns, and ornamentals like rhododendrons and camellias. With an interest in edibles, Mark set to planting as many fruits as possible. The property’s pākihi soil posed some challenges. “In general, the soil is very unhelpful. We have added many tonnes of river sand, and this has helped drainage no end,” says Mark. The early plantings included apples, pears, plums, apricots, peaches, persimmons, nectarines, and nashis, which have done the best.

Much of the established woodlots of pine and eucalyptus have been felled to improve light for the surrounding garden and accommodations. The wood was chopped for firewood and branches chipped and used as mulch. The game changer was making use of logs and cut rounds to make raised beds.

Steve Pack, main gardener for the past three years, explains the current method: “Around existing trees, wood rounds are placed to form a wide, circular garden space; then cardboard is laid. Next river sand, grass, any non-invasive weeds, some branches, then potting mix and wood chip to top it off."

Fruiting plants have responded well to this method. Subtropicals like citrus and avocados that were struggling, are now growing well.

Steve has experience working in various garden operations throughout New Zealand, like Dunedin Community Gardens and Mahana Community (Coromandel) and learnt biodynamics at Taruna in Hawkes Bay. His interest, enthusiasm, and care are obvious as he shows me around.

Steve points out the additions he and Mark have made to the landscape. Ornamental and native areas are underplanted with a variety of shade-tolerant natives, like hebes and ferns. Raised gardens around fruit trees are being interplanted with a diverse mix of comfrey, scented geranium, daisies, feverfew, wormwood, lavender, creeping rosemary, and swan plants, and edibles such as sorrel and multiplying leeks. Some of the planting highlights are Davidson’s plum, tropical apricots, soap nut trees, American pawpaw, Sichuan pepper, medlar, and Brazilian grapes, which are taking hold. Under various subtropical plantings are patches of turmeric, ginger varieties, blueberries, currants, pepinos, and New Zealand cranberry.

Steve spends his time maintaining areas by weeding, mulching, brushcutting edges, lawnmowing, developing new raised garden areas, and planting. Fruit trees get regular additions of sheep dags or pellets, organic potting mix, and some minerals like lime. Sea mulch – or “skutchings” as Steve calls it – is collected from the beach below and used as mulch. Sensitive plants like cherimoya and babaco are cloched to protect from the cold. The beach-facing slope of the property is being replanted in as many coastal natives as Steve can find. He has a small nursery with locally sourced seedlings of kohekohe, ngaio, tānekaha (celery pine), pūriri, and rewarewa.

Mark's conviction is firmly organic, and this does probably increase the labour requirements. Some improvements include installation of photovoltaic panels and water storage tanks, to be as ecofriendly as possible. “This is pretty much a sustainable business now, with income from guests supporting the gardens,” explains Mark. Further plans include adding two more character units, a compost toilet, a boat house, and more perennial vegetables.

“We have been lucky to have the support of the community over the years and a wonderful team to look after both guests and plants,” says Mark.

Guests often connect with Steve while out in the garden, and he enjoys showing them around. Garden tours for locals are being planned, so keep an eye out for the upcoming ad.

“We hope that in future many more people can enjoy our little bit of paradise,” concludes Mark.

Find out more at https://goldenbaylodge.co.nz.

Bringing more young people into farming and giving them the opportunity to learn on the job is the key to a good future for the sheep and beef industry, says Tasman District farmer Peter Moore.

Peter and Cathy Moore farm 460 hectares at Upper Moutere, running 4000 sheep, a ram breeding operation and 200 head of beef cattle and are big supporters of on-farm training.

Farm shepherd Cameron King is in his third year of training with Primary ITO | Te Pūkenga to complete the New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture Breeding Livestock Farming Level 4. “We need more younger people in sheep and beef farming. They try new things and bring improvements to the farming operation,” says Peter.