Struan Farm

Brief Blogging Break

Almost forgot to tell you, oops. I'll be taking a brief break from blogging until the end of June. Some travels away from Struan Farm, here and there. Rest assured John, Mike and Clifford will be holding down the fort, so the stories and updates on the projects will await my return!

Onto the Big Clean Up

Between a very busy farmstay during April, and warm then wet weather, not much gardening has been done recently here at Struan Farm. Some leaves have been raked in the front Pet Paddock, and the veggie gardens have been cleaned up, but that's been the extent of it. Until the past few days, when lovely weather had us both out there working away.

John mowed the lawns at the Homestead and house, after which he ventured into the Pet Paddock in more of a "mad mower mode." I got stuck into the Homestead gardens, cleaning out the Neglected Garden, where the zucchinis flourished this past summer, weeding the rose garden, and then moving around to the various flower beds. Yes, it was rather a military like operation: dahlias and other perennials were cut back, weeds weeded, edges trimmed. Leaf blower and hedge trimmer were deployed too.

One of the good things about the Homestead gardens is that they are relatively low maintenance and tidy up pretty quickly. I still have the beds at the periphery to get to, but the main gardens are now looking respectable, ready for guests and ready for winter.

The roses and hydrangeas don't get cut back until July, which will be the next major offensive at the Homestead. The newer gardens at the house now cry out, demanding equal (or more) time. May the weather gods hear their cries, after I've had a wee rest and a few cups of tea.

Faked Out By Quince

A few weeks ago I discovered an interesting looking ovoid fruit in the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg stand that I didn't recognise. It looks like this:

I asked the experienced horticulture experts on the NZ Tree Crops Association's FB page to help me with an identification. Several people responded quickly that these are Chinese quince, also known as "False Quince," or Pseudocydonia sinensis.  

In Chinese medicine they are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but they can be used in cooking the same way as more familiar varieties of quince. In fact, they are much easier to peel, due to their shape, and core. The core has many more seeds and pops out easily.  I'm thinking Chinese Quince would be easier to use for paste in particular.

Freya, Finished!

I've been toiling away these past few rainy days here at Struan Farm to try to finish granddaughter Freya's needlepoint Christmas stocking. I'd left the most fiddly bits for last, and this is one of the more detailed canvases that I've done. But good news: it's done!

Next it gets sent to my friends at The Needle Nook of La Jolla, where it will be blocked, backed with velvet, lined with white satin and edged with a twisted cord edge, tassels and bells. Five of these labours of love down, two more to go. And the good news is that I've already started the next one in the queue, I might actually get that one finished this winter too since it's on larger mesh canvas and is slightly smaller.

Once the needlepoint stockings are done for the grandkids I can start knitting again, woo hoo! I also have a few needlepoint canvases of sheep that are in the closet, waiting to be stitched too. Given all the outside work we have here at Struan Farm, I can only manage to sit down and work on this sort of project in winter, on rainy days or at night.

The Quest for Quercus alba

This past week I have been on a quest of sorts to locate a white oak tree, or "Quercus alba," here in New Zealand. One will be planted in Ohio to honour my sister Beth, so I thought we would do the same halfway across the world here at Struan Farm. The tree symbolises peace and serenity.

I quickly learnt that this might be easier said than done after starting to check around a few of our usual sources for trees. But something rather amazing happened.

I emailed Appletons Tree Nursery, a commercial supplier and family owned business located outside of Nelson, explaining my desire to purchase one white oak tree and the reason behind it. The next day I was contacted by Keith Appleton, a seriously lovely man. It turns out that they too love American Oaks, particularly Quercus alba, but it is quite rare here in New Zealand. They have propagated seedling trees from two trees that are in the country. One produced rather unattractive progeny, but the second produced beautiful trees. All of those raised by Appletons had been sold a year or so ago to another nursery, Harrisons, in Feilding here on the North Island. By coincidence, Appletons was in the process of having those trees shipped back to them so they could plant them and propagate more. However, Keith had been in touch with Harrisons on my behalf, and had arranged for them to sell me one of the trees. I rang Harrisons and the tree will be delivered to Piopio in early July when they do their tree deliveries in the region.

I am seriously touched by the kindness of these tree people. They didn't know me, but they've helped me acquire this special tree to honour my sister. Given what white oaks represent, can I just say that we should all be planting them! When the tree arrives here for planting I will share that with you. In the meantime we need to figure out where it is going to go.  It will need to be a special place. John's got just a few trees to plant (and fence) this winter...