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Volunteer planters, from left, Phillippa Beagley, Dustyn O’Leary, Mike Swain, Ian Boothrowd, Sue Kane, Sandra Beagley and Derek Broadmore.
A plan to turn the old stockyards in Puhoi into a community orchard got underway last month, when volunteers planted apple, plum and pear trees, along with chamomile and borage to attract pollinators and deter pests.
The planting of nine trees was an initiative of the Puhoi Community Forum, which aims to graft local heritage varieties from nearby properties onto the rootstock once the trees are established.
The aim is to grow historic fruit trees that were around when Puhoi was first settled by migrants from Bohemia in the 1860s.
Puhoi Community Forum co-chair Dustyn O’Leary says the stockyards were formerly used by the A&P show, but Auckland Council considered the animal pens were a hazard and had to be removed.
Dustyn says consultation took place to determine what to do with the land and a community orchard was the most popular choice. It’s likely that heritage grapes will be added at some point.
Dustyn says it will probably be around five years – assuming good growing conditions – before the trees start producing decent quantities of fruit. When they do, people will be able to come in and help themselves.
