Hedging food

Nancy Cooney (old girl of my school, colleague on the staff of Tawa College many years ago, and friend) and Ruth Wickens (pupil of ours at Tawa, and friend) came to stay on the Crowsnest this weekend. For both of them it was the third visit, and both saw it in the very early days of our ownership. Ruth was with us that day in April when Minnie Hart blessed the Crowsnest. Last time Nancy was here she helped us plant natives in the Bush Finger.

Saturday was wet and miserable but on Sunday Nancy helped us fill out the orchard - we planted 5 plum trees, 2 prune trees, 4 gooseberry bushes and a sturmer apple. And we planted a walnut tree down in Oak Wood. There are now 30 fruit trees and one nut tree on the place.

Next? Well, what do you think about a food hedgerow? - a hedge of edibles - hazels, elderberries, juniper, crab apples, rasperries, cranberries, red and black currants, perhaps a feijoa or two.