John and I are both trying to take walks around the property each day here at Struan Farm during the COVID-19 lockdown, for however long it may continue. I head down to the Pet Paddock each afternoon to gather walnuts and fallen feijoas and to check the ripening figs. John has been charged with "mushroom patrol."
But we also try to get out and have a wander to clear our heads. We went down to the river together one day, and yesterday went out to the QEII bush reserve near the pond.
It's reassuring to see the kererus (native wood pigeons) sitting quietly in the trees and hear the tuis croaking away. And it's almost time to gather kahikatea berries, both for growing native trees and to eat!
We use the kahikatea fruit, which is called "koroi," in salads for pops of juicy flavour (think of using them the way you would pomegranate arils). Last year I also made jam from them, which was interesting and fun, the consistency ends up almost candied and slightly chewy. The jam is delicious warm on ice cream, but making it was exceedingly tedious given the need to remove the black seeds. The upside was that we did use those to grow hundreds of young trees in our native tree nursery.
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