The moment you’ve all been waiting for……………………..
See pics below for the lucky raffle winner!!
We did do some work today too and had a fabulous morning tea. See you all back at the Nursery on Friday 26 September
Chris and Brian
Posted: 27 June 2025
Our last day for Friday volunteers will be Friday 27 June 25. For regulars you’ll also know this is the day we will be drawing the Jo Ogier raffle for the amazing kaka print! Drum roll……..
For Matariki we sowed all of our seeds for the season with a hardy bunch of volunteers as the weather was again questionable! We also got a shout out on National Radio courtesy of Judy who txted in our intention to sow seeds for Matariki, which seemed very appropriate.
We have now sown over 8000 species of seed over the 30 years we have been operating – all locally sourced. This year we have sowed around 40 large trays and a similar number of small trays of seed for use in local projects next season. Last weekend another 100 plants went to the Oreti Totara Dune Forest where Barry Smith again arranged for Southland Tramping Club members and a few hangers-on, like ourselves, to plant and cover the plants near Matai Grove.
If you missed out on our seed collecting, cleaning and sowing efforts have a look at the following link https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/restoring-your-patch/get-growing/seeds/
As you will see we sow all our seeds now, in winter, outside but under shadecloth enclosures (so birds and mice don’t eat them) and leave them out over winter for the rain and cold to get at them. This negates the need to “cold stratify” them and replicate winter – we don’t need to do that as we actually get a winter! We expect the seedlings to come up in September – probably more a response to day length than temperature as the timing seems to be consistent each year, regardless of the weather.
Next Friday we will be doing cuttings, drawing the Jo Ogier raffle prize, socialising and having kai so bring your best baking!! If you haven’t been for a while come along and share the camaraderie. We will then be taking a break, coming back in September.
A future date for your calendar is Saturday 18 October when we will be planting more of our plants at Bushy Point. It’s the 25th anniversary of the Otatara Landcare Group and the Bushy Point Project and all 37,000 plants to date have come from the Community Nursery. For many years Linda and Ray produced the plants in the Nursery and later years the Community Nursery took over all of the growing. Watch out for publicity nearer the time, but put the date in your calendar today!
Chris and Brian
Posted: 22 June 2025
Nursery Fridays until 27 June 2025 – 9am-noon
Saturday 14 June – planting at the Oreti Totara Dune Forest – meet at the Oreti carpark at 1.30pm
Tuesday 17 June 2025 Talk on the Flora of the Subantarctic Islands by Brian Rance – 7.30pm Invercargill poster attached
28 June – 6 July 2025 Garden Bird Survey – all the details here https://gardenbirdsurvey.nz/
Posted: 12 June 2025
Although Brian and I were away much of May the Nursery Vollies lead by Linda and Ray, did a great job continuing the regular Volunteer Fridays. Work being done was continued seed cleaning, weeding, potting into small pots and sending plants out of the Nursery. One major planting project that occurred while we were away was the Kowhai Reach planting, where we have been supplying plants for the last few years. Its always great to see plants we have grown go into the ground on good projects and the Limehills School students, under the guidance of QEII Rep Jesse Bythell, did a great job by all accounts – link to article here https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360682104/schoolchildren-plant-450-trees-kowhai-reach
As well as a lot of plants going out to projects we are also into planting right here. Just prior to going away we had a new pond excavated and have begun planting already – especially on the island, before the pond started filling with water! A big thanks to Kata who helped me plant the island, before the water seeped in and to Derek who planted the Carex secta while we were away and thanks to Jason for the drone photo!
Highlights of our trip away were meeting some awesome QEII Covenant holders, and their interesting properties and meeting the Reps who are supporting them, seeing new landscapes and plants, catching up with lots of friends along the way and some excellent fungi observations including the gorgeous sky blue Entoloma! (see pics).
For the remainder of May at the Nursery we have encountered some interesting weather, including last Fridays hail storms and wind! But despite the weather hardy volunteers came, including new people and we also did some apple pressing with Bronwyn and Russels apple press. The next few weeks will involve seed sowing and propagation for cuttings. We will close for winter on Friday 27th June and on that day will draw the Jo Ogier Kaka painting raffle (there is still time for tickets!).
Finally, someone left this nice black jacket at the Nursery and we would like to reunite it with its owner!
Chris
Posted: 1 June 2025
Ōtātara Community Connections Alive and Well
Term 1 2025 has seen the connections between Ōtātara School, the Southland Community Nursery and the Otatara Landcare Group continue to grow. The beginning of March I started as kaiako (teacher) 3 days a week at Ōtātara School continuing my association with the school, from our children’s school days and working as an environmental educator with the Southland Community Nursery.
Later in March it was great to have the Southland Community Nursery open once again for Ōtātara School. Bug building, seed and leaf identifying, who lives where? nature art, nature wondering and learning about animal pests were the activities that a group of year 3 and 4 students from Ōtātara School experienced, spending a morning of their outdoor week at the Southland Community Nursery. Viewing the pond, exploring the restored forest and estimating how many plants the nursery produces in a year rounded off the visit. The looking, noticing, wondering, and investigation nature of the visit highlighted the connection between the school and this local place in our wider community. See News and Events • Southland Community Nursery for more news. The school and the Landcare group are in discussions. See News & Events • Otatara Landcare Group for more information.
The enthusiasm and the mahi that the school, Landcare Group and the Southland Community Nursery groups do in and for the environment is evidence of how wonderful these communities are. Along with tree removal and fencing work last year and over the summer at the school, the Bushy Point restoration planting site turning 25 this year, and the amazing place that is Ōtātara, the possible projects because of these community connections makes for an exciting year – watch this space!
Bronwyn Graham
Teacher – Environmental Education Specialist
Ōtātara School
Posted: 1 June 2025