Welcome to the May edition of The Post where we focus on New Zealand’s horticulture industry. A passionate community of growers, harvesters and businesses that support one another, especially during extreme weather conditions.

We visited Kristin Nolan, owner/manager of Freeway Orchard which is situated on the main highway into Cromwell and features an orchard as well as a fruit and produce store.Their location is convenient for tourists and locals to stop and enjoy an array of treats, including real fresh fruit ice cream.

Situated in Southland, Brandon Ward of Brandon Ward Contracting showed us how to install an underground cable whilst he was doing some rural fencing not far from Winton.

Greg Rathbun and Tann Duangprasit moved to Northland for a change of lifestyle, purchasing an avocado orchard and selling their fruit nationally through Avos To Go. At Phufar Orchard, they also grow New Zealand native mushrooms under the brand Maungatapere Mushroom which are grown organically and sold at local markets.

Māori-led incorporated society and registered charity Pūniu River Care are dedicated to protecting the environment through native plantings and fencing off waterways within the Waikato, Waipā and King Country regions.

Our State of the Industry this month is on horticulture, where we speak to individuals and key leaders in the industry as they share thoughts on the resilience of their businesses.

We intend to continue supplying you with the best stories, activities and techniques in agriculture. If you have anything that you would like us to share, please get in touch.