Free Teachers workshop with Ruud “the Bugman” Kleinpaste – 9.30am-11.30am Sunday 15 May 2016
KCC Bug Hunting with Ruud – 1-3pm Sunday 15 May 2016(KCC members only)
Booking for both events essential as numbers are limited.
Posted: 12 April 2016
On 21 March 2016, sixty “Year 5” students came to help out at the Community Nursery in Otatara. There were three activities – planting native plants, potting seedlings and collecting native seeds. All are jobs needing to be done at this time of year. Each group did all of the activities led by Chris, Bronwyn and Lesley with teachers Jena and Gillian and some willing parents lending a hand.
For planting, groups went “across the boundary” into Bushy Point to plant the edges of a ditch with 100 kohuhu, cabbage trees, Manuka, lemonwood and other hardy native species. These plants add to the 24,000 plants that have been planted in the Bushy Point project over the last 15 years.
The potting group helped to prick out manuka and kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium) seedlings from seed that the Otatara Year 4 classes had sown at last year’s visit to the nursery. It was a hive of activity in the Education Centre and a total of over 500 seedlings were potted up by the three groups.
Then, on to seed collecting where a whole array of native seeds were “discovered” hiding amongst the various shrubs from mingimingi (Coprosma propinqua) berries (yellow, white and blue), black flax seeds from pods, white cabbage tree seeds, Manuka pods (not quite ready to open) and sticky black kohuhu seeds.
It was a great day and the children seemed to have fun outside and thoroughly enjoyed doing the “work” - “We had a ball, the kids were highly engaged, made lots of connections to their learning last year and really enjoyed the hands on experiences” - Gillian Donnelly Year 5 Teacher, Otatara School.
Chris
Posted: 24 March 2016
After gale force winds during the week before this event, it was uncanny to have only very very light winds for flying our kites today. We had a lot of older children at KCC (Kiwi Conservation Club) today which was great to see and they all had fun making the kites and running around the koru maze to get them airborne. Then Alan set up the bubbles and we had heaps of fun shaping, chasing and popping bubbles, including having paper planes fashioned and flown through bubbles to make them pop! The fun continued with the challenge of making a boat entirely from nature to float on the wetland pond at the Southland Community Nursery and Education Centre. There were some awesome creations of different designs, sizes and shapes…..and they all floated! It was great to get out and about in nature and have some simple fun with family and friends.
Big thanks to Alan Admore for the kite making design and bubbles (bubble recipe - http://bubbleswow.weebly.com), and to Chris Rance for the use of the Southland Community Nursery and Education Centre. Awesome fun! Bronwyn Graham 2130017
Find out more about kcc - www.kcc.org.nz
Posted: 16 March 2016
Seed collecting is in full swing with two workshops and many other groups helping to do the task already this year. Seed collecting will be an activity we do through to May with new seeds becoming ready to collect each week. First was Clematis, red tussock, toe toe and Carex, followed by fruity seeds of wineberry and Coprosma, still to come koromiko, broadleaf and others. The key to seed collecting is to learn about the specific species and be sure you collect from the correct and not weedy species (and that is true of natives from other areas too – be sure you know what you are collecting and if you don’t, collect plant material as well so you can identify later). We are here to help with that too. To see the rough timing of seeds for different species follow this link. If you are interested in seed collecting come along on a Friday or ring Chris and we may be able to arrange a workshop to suit.
Posted: 7 March 2016
Georgetown Scouts – 1 March 2016
On Tuesday 1st March, 27 energetic Georgetown Scouts descended on the property to help with planting and seed collecting. We split them into 2 groups and Brian took one group planting native plants at the back of the property while Chris led a seed collecting expedition. This group had done some planting last year in the same area so it was good to see how those plants were progressing as well as collecting seeds for the next generation of trees.
Pippins - 29 February 2016
A group of 15 “Pippins” visited the property with Bronwyn. They had a programme of activities which included a walk through the “huge forest”, checking out the insect pitfall traps but mainly using their senses to see and hear the special things in the forest. They also collected natural items which they would later turn into artwork. Chris then met them coming out of the bush where they did some seed collecting of “mingimingi” – Coprosma propinqua, seeing blue and white and some yellow fruit. At the bird hide by the new moa, they heard the story of the extinct moa and later they all sat down and were silent for 5 minutes (and that’s a long time!) listening to the sounds of the wild. On 4th April they will return for another set of activities and present their artwork.
Organic Group Visit - 27 February 2016
New students from the Organics Course run by the Guyton’s were visiting various properties around Invercargill on Saturday 27 February. Their mandate was mainly to see the different styles and scales of productive gardens. Although our 14 acre property is not organic we pride ourselves on not using insecticides at all and only using herbicides for a limited time around the restoration areas, which are largescale. We have many diverse productive landscapes – fruit orchards, nut trees, berry cages, chickens, worm farm, sheep and very productive vegetable gardens with herbs and companion plantings, all within the backdrop of fantastic natural area of ponds, restoration plantings and old growth forest.
Rimu School - 26 February 2016
Rimu School (yes the whole school!) visited the Nursery and Education Centre to “help out” on Friday 26 February. The 110 students, teachers and parent helpers were split into four groups each doing a different activity before changing to the next. The activities were seed collecting, potting seedlings, track work including picking up cabbage tree leaves (to weave into the moa sculpture) and leaf bingo, and a bush walk exercise. The groups changed over every 20 minutes which for us was a blur of activity in the pouring rain (and thunder and lightning!). All seemed to enjoy the experience but next time a smaller group is preferred! Special thanks to our volunteers Bronwyn, Honorlea, Lesley and Edith and Mark Oster from ES who helped me with the activities.
Friendship Force Exchange Visit - 23 February 2016
A group of 20, mainly Australian, Friendship fellowship visitors were brought to Rances by Lois Caldwell. They walked through the orchard and food forest areas and were particularly interested in what vegetables we could grow in this “cold climate”. Chris then led a walk around the ponds and restoration area and showed them the Education Centre with lots of favourable comments received.
Takoma College Visit - 15 February 2016
James Hargest exchange students from Takoma College, Washington State visited Bushy Point and the Nursery. Sally Duston and Kirstin lead the group through the planting areas and Chris explained about the nursery and education centre. On the way they pulled some nets out of the Bushy Point and Rances ponds and some interested members looked at damselfly larvae and an as yet unknown species – see pic below - any ideas what it is?
Posted: 7 March 2016