July at Siema Organics
At the end of June it was the winter solstice, observing the longest night of the year. For us it was a time for gathering friends together, feasting, reflecting, and planning. We marked the occasion with some close friends around the fire, under the stars.
Winter can often be seen as a time of rest but at Siema Organics the orchard doesn’t stop and reflect! We have now turned our attention to the many varieties of citrus trees. As the citrus ripen we are busy picking and sending out orders. We use the excess fruit to make a daily vitamin C rich juice and any leftover is frozen into ice blocks. The excess fruit is also donated to the local school and community Pataka Kai.
We have also planted the first of our native trees, these are ones that we have grown from seeds, sourced from our already established natives or ones that have self sown. With the self sown ones all we have to do is simply dig it up and replant in another spot. Some of the seedlings spent a little time growing in pots in our native nursery until they were enough to plant out. Observing nature and interacting with the natural process of collecting seeds has not only saved us money but has also ensured that we are sourcing trees that are familiar with this micro climate. Eco sourcing is a great way to maintain the natural character of an area and helps us to select trees that are fit for purpose.
We welcomed Chelsea and Ngeru to our team last month. During her time here Chelsea has invested some time in the banana grove. Our glass house is now resembling a tropical oasis, brimming with banana pups. These will be planted out in our food forest in late spring when the temperature has picked up. The bananas that were planted last year, on the north facing food forest slope, are already two metre high and looking lush. I think we have found the perfect spot on our property for the banana grove.
When we are fortunate to have a few sunny days in a row we get out the pruning tools and make the most of the dry weather. The art of pruning is a skill we all enjoy learning, even our biggest tamariki loves to help. She often takes to the secateurs removing all the water spouts. The pruned branches are then chipped and returned back to the ground beneath the tree, this thin layer of mulch will help to retain moisture and give nutrients back to the tree as it biodegrades.
In the coming months ahead we are looking forward to planting more natives along the boundary and designing our outdoor dining area and kitchen garden.
Noho ora mai
