Professional Photographer and friend Jason Hosking came to the Nursery on 6th June 2014 to show us his drone. The remote controlled drone has a camera mounted on it and was sent up above the Nursery for us to get a unique view of the bush and property from all angles. Jason is using the drone for his photographic assignments – this time he was in Southland for a New Zealand Geographic story. His previous work has included most of the photographs in the recently published book “Wild About New Zealand – A guide to our National Parks” by Gus Roxburgh which accompanied the TV series of the same name. Jason’s photographic portfolio can be viewed at www.jasonhosking.com
Posted: 17 June 2014
Beatty, a volunteer from Auckland, is now part of the “family” – she came back for another week of volunteering from 6-13th June 2014 and did a mighty job helping with all manner of jobs that needed to be done around the place.
Not only that, she explained, and then demonstrated, the “art of swede carving” - apparently a tradition in Beatty’s home Country Swizerland. Beatty spent a good 3-4 hours making a Southland version – with tussocks, a rugby ball, Swiss Flag and BT carved into the swede. The inside of the swede is carved out so the candle placed inside illuminates the designs carved on the outside.
Posted: 17 June 2014
Come and celebrate National Volunteer week (15-21 June 2014) at the Community Nursery on Friday 20 June 2014.
In the morning we will hold another Cuttings Workshop 10am-noon followed by lunch (Chris will provide hot soup and fresh bread for lunch) and after lunch we will be making swede lanterns (see article below).
Come along, catch up with friends at the Nursery and have some fun!
During the previous week a gift was received from Limehills School to the Community Nursery – a box of exquisite cakes – it was a gesture that Chris and the other Trustees really appreciated – thanks Limehills School. Unfortunately the cakes wouldn’t last until the next volunteer Friday and had to be eaten by Community Nursery Trustees Chris, Linda, Ray and Brian!! (yeah right!).
Posted: 17 June 2014
On 2nd May the nursery re-opened after an Easter break. Being school holidays there was a bumper turn-out of 30 people including many children. Scones were the order of the day for shared morning tea! Some different nursery activities included weaving with cabbage tree leaves to cover the bird hide by the pond. Lots of weeding was done.
In the afternoon Malcolm McKenzie brought along his apple press and around 25 people came to press their apples into juice. It has been a great apple season – we have some huge “Monty’s Surprise” apples freshly picked (see photo). People brought freshly picked apples as well as defrosted frozen apples (where the juice is clearer and you get a lot more juice from the apples). Caleb demonstrated the lost art of tree climbing to harvest the last of our pears to make “perry” – pear juice. Apple pressing is a lot of fun and a great community event.
Posted: 7 May 2014
Limehills School attended on 15th April armed with many questions for Chris about the native plants that they were learning about in the classroom. They started with a “rap song” about photosynthesis! They enjoyed being under the tall bush and teacher Kathy commented that in 30 years of visiting bush reserves she had never heard such loud birdsong. Another activity was learning to identify different native plants and their uses. At the end of the visit in the Education Centre Chris looked at the various school garden ideas the children had drawn and the group finished with songs accompanied by the Ukelele played by teacher Kathy.
Posted: 7 May 2014
