Struan Farm

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Not of Christmas, but of Spring!

Our first daffodil at Struan Farm, almost (just?) open......

Cut Backs, Done

It was yet another major work weekend at Struan Farm. I managed to get all of the hydrangeas cut back in the wooded garden at our front roadside entrance as well as those in the far back of the gardens, hooray. I did find a bit more to clean up, some of which got done in the process.

Phew. John, who was away on business, won't be terribly happy with my overflow pile of cuttings, but oh well, what's done is done. He did leave me with the smaller trailer!

I now know that we have over 80 hydrangeas--I found a bunch more hiding in the wooded garden that I'd overlooked when taking my headcount.

I also finished picking up the Old Orchard Paddock around the gum tree. Now it's on to those old chicken coops, let me at them!

Hairy Feet Waitomo: The Hobbit in Piopio

About two years ago The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey filmed for a week in Piopio, taking over a local family farm up the Mangaotaki River Valley from Struan Farm and along with that the entire village. 

Scenes shot on this location feature in the Trollshaws Forest, where Gandalf and this party battle the trolls and Bilbo pulls "Sting" from its sheath, amongst other things. 

So it's very exciting to hear that the Denize family are opening a tourism venture on their farm this late spring/summer called "Hairy Feet Waitomo," offering organized tours over the property and specific filming locations.

Details to follow, but Struan Farm is just down the river and not far by car! If you're going to Hobbiton in Matamata, best not to miss Piopio either.....

Happy Hellebores

The hellebores are now starting their show at Struan Farm:

Glad something is happy to bloom in winter!

More Magic at Struan Farm

We received our hazelnut trees this past week from Country Trading, three each of Whiteheart and Merveille de Bollwiller. They will be planted shortly in the Cottage Paddock, to the left of the drive going down to the pond. They are meant to turn golden in autumn, so we're planting the grove here for color and due to space considerations. John thinks we're running out of room around the new house site, at least until the house is there and we have a better idea on the rest of the landscaping.

Interesting to read that Hazel has the reputation of being a magical tree. The wood can be twisted and even knotted, was used for rods to ward off evil spirits and for divining water, along with thatching spars, firewood and furniture. In parts of England the nuts were carried as charms or to ward off rheumatism, while in Ireland it was considered to be the tree of knowledge.

It is great to think that we have a few more magical trees at Struan Farm!

Restored & Revived

The dining table in the Cottage at Struan Farm was sent off to the woodworker a few weeks ago for some much needed love and attention. It's a piece I brought with me to New Zealand from the USA, is made of Vermont Oak, and was one of my first "real" pieces of furniture purchased after leaving home.

However I've never really known how to care for it properly, and strong sunlight in the Cottage was taking a toll. We had the chairs refinished last year, now it was time to take the table off to be looked after.

Wow, thanks to Noel Pearson of Otorohanga, furniture maker and woodworker extraordinaire, who has brought this table back to life! It will be covered when guests aren't using the Cottage to try to protect it, and he's told us NO OIL, something I was surprised to learn.

Recycled Serving Pieces

I've decided to spare you from more photographs of John planting (more) fruit trees at Struan Farm this week. But rest assured, that did happen!

We received our shipment from Country Trading at the end of the week, which included our Granny Smith apple, Giant of Gascony quince, Omega plum and Kaiteri feijoa trees. These managed to get planted, since all but the feijoa were bare root, so we had to get them in as soon as possible.

Also in the shipment were these gorgeous recycled cake servers, customised for Struan Farm thanks to Heather!

Love them, just love them. Especially since they were rescued from the local recycling centre!

 

 

Rose Hips

I came across some beautiful rose hips cutting back the roses at Struan Farm this past week. What a bonus!

I know people make tea from these, and that they're a source of Vitamin C (provided chemicals haven't been used on the plants). What I hadn't known is that they can also be used to make jellies, sauces, soups and even wine, and have both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. 

I put them with some viburnum leaves and berries to make a bright arrangement for the table, but also spent some time looking at the shape of the hips and the variation in colors:

Wondering if I can come up with a beaded or embroidered rendition of these for a felted hat.....

Fantastic Yarn Project!

Stumbled upon this and had to play it forward, what a project!

 

Cutbacks at Struan Farm

Of the gardening type, that is. This past week I took several days to cut back the roses and hydrangeas in the gardens at Struan Farm. 

Day One I tackled the rose garden area, where I cut back 13 roses and re-positioned three wisteria plants given the extensions done to the Perfect Pergola:

I also weeded, swept the walkways and edged.

Day two I took on Hydrangea Hill. Here's the before picture:

And then after:

Thirty-two hydrangeas and three roses, plus some clean up of the pongas/tree ferns and fallen leaves.

Day Three I did the roses and hydrangeas in the center and side gardens, with the far back and front roadside yet to do. Total tally: 53 hydrangeas and 30+ roses, with 24 hydrangeas and three climbing, prickly roses left to do next weekend.

This was one of those work projects where you could definitely see what you'd accomplished!

I told myself at one point that even if it is a bit of an annual mission, I'm happiest working outside at Struan Farm, and it does mean beautiful flowers in the gardens for most of the year, something for which to be thankful.

Next Week's Work

Girding my loin, really, since it's that time of the year. Time of the year to cut back the hydrangea and roses. This next week I'm taking several days off work to work in the gardens at Struan Farm. John has already stationed trailers for me to cart away the debris, with instructions to put the rose cuttings with thorns, etc. in first.

They're mostly skeletons and ready to go.

But there are many to do, it may take me several days. I've never taken a headcount, but think this year that I might take a tally as I cut them back, just so I know. 

Out in the Boonies

Some townies would say that Struan Farm and Piopio are "out in the boonies," or in kiwi parlance "out in the whops." And yes, that may be, but we're not that far from civilization, so have the best of both worlds really.

But my Boonies are different:

These are rubber and neophrene gumboots made by a Tauranga based, family business called (what else) "Boonies." I don't typically like girly farm boots, but have decided to tolerate a little color and design because these are really comfortable and warm. I'm a total convert. There are other styles and options for women, men, children. And New Zealand made!

Early Lambs

Unfortunately none at Struan Farm just yet, but up the road on the north end of Piopio there are lambs happening. There's a farmer who always seems to lamb earlier than anyone else in the area. So I was very excited to see lambs in his paddocks, since it means ours are almost here.

And look closely--triplets!

 

 

 

 

 

First of the Winter Roses

I was thrilled to see the hellebores starting to bloom this past week at Struan Farm. Our winter roses, hooray!

I love these delicate blooms--they help me get through to spring. Time to get the vases back out.

Saving Pennies

I discovered four old coins in my jacket pocket this weekend at Struan Farm. Think I must have found them when we cleaned out Maurie's workshop a year or so ago and stashed them there. Brings to mind the rhyme "Find a penny pick it up, all the day you have good luck."  

Upon clean up and closer examination we saw that these are old New Zealand pennies.

A young Queen Elizabeth II is on three of the coins, with what looks to be a classical laurel wreath in her hair. The fourth is of her father George VI, King and Emperor, and is dated 1947. The backs of all are similar, and feature a NZ native tui (bird) and kowhai (flowering tree).

What a lucky find!

Progress in the Old Orchard Paddock

I hopped to it this weekend at Struan Farm, continuing my clean up in the Old Orchard Paddock. By the end of Saturday I had all of the firewood picked up from around the trees and put into the shed. Guessing I am about 80% finished with the clean up in this corner of the property.

Here's my comparision of last week vs. this week:

Once I've raked up the rest of the rubbish under the gum tree I will move the firewood stored in the old chicken coop to the one firewood shed that will remain in this area of the farm. Then those unsightly coops can come down, hopefully before they fall down!

So this paddock is starting to look a wee bit better. And since we've decided to revive its place as a fruit orchard, although our secondary fruit orchard, we'll plant several more apple trees here shortly (Granny Smith and Liberty). We've already got Bramley, Cox's Orange Pippin and Akane planted here.

Must confess that I'm realistic about one major thing: this paddock will only stay tidy until the next storm comes through, when I'll need to start the clean up all over again!

Whoa Nellie at Struan Farm

I'm not big on having my picture taken, ever. But when I came out wearing my first rendition of Lisa Cruse's hat design, "Nellie Crush," John insisted that we commemorate the event with a photo. 

She's called "Whoa Nellie," and I know, way too matchy-matchy.

Bench Rehab

Our signature bright blue bench that greets visitors to the pond at Struan Farm managed to avoid being crushed by the tree fall that happened over a year ago, thankfully.

It just needs to be freshened up, doesn't it? Yep, it's on the "To Do" list!

In Praise of Prunes

Friend Heather Cole from Mapua Country Trading has an interesting article in the July issue of New Zealand Gardener Magazine about growing your own prunes. 

She stumbled upon Kokalito Fine Foods in Golden Bay, and went over to meet Klaus Thoma, Maria Koch and their family, who grow an extraordinary array of prune plums, many of which are heirloom varieties. The article has great information on the different varieties available, see also the Mapua Country Trading website above for more info. (Yes, it goes without saying that some prune plum trees are in our future, just not this year!)

Heather's article was accompanied by several recipes, one for a "Prune & Whisky Tart" from "The Scottish Cookery Book" by Christopher Trotter. Of course we had to test this out at Struan Farm!

Served warm, yum. 

Prep for the Fencer

While I was working away cleaning up the Old Orchard Paddock at Struan Farm, John was busy laying out poles and boards in preparation for the fencer. He's due to come this next week. 

New fencing will run along the pond, past one of our stands of Queen Elizabeth II Trust protected native bush, down the hill along Coleman's River Track to a point overlooking Jim's Hut (where this picture was taken). 

Once the fencing is done landscaping with native plants and trees can begin by Karen (at the pond) and John (on the right side of the track, extending the bush up to the fence line). Major.