Neil Douglas and Barbara Smyth have established a 20 acre nut farm along the Ruamahanga River in the Wairarapa.
Planting began in 2002 with over 700 nut trees planted. A sweet chestnut grove, Almond avenues, three Walnut / Pecan / Hazelnut mixed planting orchards and a Pine nut walkway have been planted around existing 400 year old Totara Trees.
Four ponds have been dug to provide irrigation and a wet-land habitat for frogs, eels and ducks.
Harvesting of chestnuts began in 2010 and yields of walnuts and almonds are increasing.
This year’s planting includes an olive grove of 50 trees.
As well as nut trees, an ‘arboretum’ of exotic trees including cedars, cupressus, oaks, ashes and gums is being developed together with a range of native trees.
Totara nut farm is a herbicide, fungicide and pesticide ‘free zone’ and is also home to millions of bees looked after by a local apiarist.
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Chickens |
Walnuts |
Black Walnut alley |
Pinenuts |
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Almonds |
Birch alley |
Cedar Golden Himalayan Cedar - Cedrus Deodara Aurea (approx 8 yrs old |
Blue cones on a Korean fir |
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Lily |
A magnolia adds a dash of colour to the Pergola garden in early Spring |
Totara Nut Farm |
A bee at work on almond blossom |
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Chestnut grove |
Almond grove |
Totaras |
