Autumn field trip to the Wakatio

After a very wet summer and many of us needing a break from what has been a hard season we headed to the Waikato to catch up with a couple of our growers who allowed us on their properties despite the disappointing, difficult season. The first property we visited was that of Bruce and Barbara Conning in Waharoa. The Connings specialise in growing hot pink hydrangeas for the export market. Bruce and Barbara were previously tomato growers and have converted green houses in to shade houses to grow their hydrangeas.

Some of the most interesting things seen today were the inventions Bruce has come up with to make his life easier as a grower - from large fans, tube fillers , pruning and splitting machines to custom built sprayers which fit down the rows of his shadehouses.

After a great lunch at the Okoroire Tavern we shot down the road to visit Okoroire Callas.

Okoroire Callas is run by Bruce and Noelene Roberts

They grow calla lilies and hydrangeas and

supply both the local and export markets. As both crops are summer based crops the Roberts are extremely busy that time of year, The callas are grown in wooden boxes and are able to be moved in and out of greenhouses as needed, so multiple crops of callas can be grown one after another in the same greenhouse. With the biggest chiller and pack house many of us have seen, the set up was impressive.

Their hydrangeas are grown under shade and a variety of colours are grown to suit their

customer base,