March at Siema Organics

Kia ora Koutou,

We started enjoying the first of the figs on the final week in Feb. They are ripe, juicy, big and delicious.

We have enjoyed having people call in to purchase some produce over the summer.  These have been both local people and those visiting the local area. On a few occasions we went picking plums with families camping at waharau reginal park and Tāpapakanga. It is nice showing the tamariki around the orchard and seeing them pick their own fruit. Nothing tastes better that fruit picked straight from the tree.

The beehives will be harvested this month and we will have some raw honey to sell from April onwards.

Our bananas have been ripening much to the delight of our toddler. These are the perfect size for a kids lunch box, you can also pop them straight on an ice block stick and freeze them to make a healthy ice block.

We have a lovely flock of Welsh Harlequin ducks, which are great layers and make good meat birds too. We are selling some duckling and fully grown ducks due to our flock growing too big. These make a great addition to an orchard, fertilising the trees, taking care of unwanted slugs and snails and offering many hours of entertainment.

The Kaiaua Community Garden is getting established in March, starting with a Karakia by the elders of Wharekawa Marae. The community garden is happening on Kaiaua school grounds and we had had some beautiful seedlings donated by Mrs Greenjeans. The aroha from local companies and local people is incredible. It’s great to be involved in a project that will make Kaiaua more resilient and strong.

Noho ora mai,

Gemma Long