(Now celebrating our 20th Anniversary)
On 5 May 1977 Brian Capamagian convened the first meeting of the Bay of Plenty Branch of the NZ Tree Crops Association.
This meeting at Te Puke was attended by about 70 interested people with 20 apologies indicating a lot of interest over a wide area .
Brian's Interest in Tree Crops, inspired by articles by Roland Clarke culminated in a visit to the Annual Conference in Christchurch where he was appointed to start up the Bay of Plenty Branch.
Doug Davies, the National Secretary, who had travelled from Christchurch then addressed the meeting, describing his initial meeting with Roland Clarke, research scientist, nurseryman, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries representatives, Hamish Deans of the Farm Forestry Association in 1974 when an advisory group was formed. This was the beginning of the Tree Crops Association where the objectives were outlined together with the role of branches.
Eric Purnell an extension officer of the NZ Forest Service described the benefits obtained by the Forestry Association for its members and that farm foresters in the BOP expanded their plantings to include walnuts as well as Pinus radiata and had already planted out 2000 walnut trees ( 500 Juglans regia and 1500 J. nigra)
Note - I wondered how these initial plantings are faring today?
In an article in the Bay of Plenty Farmer, Geoff Brann of Farm Forestry Association wrote: "With all the best intentions things went wrong and in most cases these blocks were forgotten about, until recently when there may have been a change of ownership or people are starting to notice these quite large trees and wonder what they are. As they were originally planted at quite high stocking or close spacing and this has been great as it has forced the trees to go up and keep very small branches. This has led to excellent form. We have done two block recently pruned to seven metres and thinned right down to final crop and they look magnificent - great stuff."
"John Mortimer, a long standing farm forester from the Waikato on a recent trip to the USA reported a single black walnut tree making $75,000 and a smaller tree with a DBH of 40cm fetching $35,000 and still leaving the stumps and roots to be extracted and sold separately."
This talk was recorded and included in the programme "Beyond the City" on 6 May 1977. I presume this was a radio program - does anyone recall it and would it be archived?
Good Farming, TV1 - Wednesday 1 June 1977
Roland Clarke spoke on the potential of tree crops and that we could save overseas funds. At Geraldine hazelnut being grown with the supervision of Dr Don Mckenzie had grossed $1100/acre/year. Black Walnuts grown mainly for timer and in the USA a large specimen was valued at $30,000. (Compare with the price of $75,000 reported in 1997!)
Nectar producing crops for bees were recommended , especially Eucalyptus meliodora.
Fodder trees included honey locust , mulberry, and Quercus suber.
Cricket bat willows could be grown to export to Australia.
Note - How many of these ideas are viable at the present?
A Field Day held at DSIR Research Orchard in June 1977 was if anything, too successful with over 200 people being shown around indicating the need to have field days for specific crops. Sales table auction brought spirited bidding for a grafted persimmon, a "chafee" variety grafted cherimoya as did sacks of Black Walnuts.
(Note: A Field Day was to be held at the same DSIR Orchard, now called HortResearch, at Te Puke, Bay of Plenty on June 21, 1997. Few of the original members were present! Some of the original staff are still working there, and were able to enlighten us once again.)
At an informal meeting with Roland Clarke and Doug Davis on July 12 Roland recommended several books.
Trevor Lennard brought a sack full of Gleditsia seed and thus began the discussion which ranged over fodder trees - the carobs, lotus, olive, "Bel ombre", Phytolacaa disecia, albizzia falcata, tung oil trees, Quercus velota, Q. incarta, Q. suber, and Acacia tamarya.
Hans Lens had some persimmon fruit and described the difference between male and female plants.
Nectar producing trees were discussed, including Black Locust, yellow box, Eucalypt, Tilia cordata, Kowhai, hazels, honey locust, leatherwood, linodendron and caryganas.
In June it was reported that the Forest Service had given permission to plant macadamias on a block at Whangamata but had ignored the recommendation of Hans Lens that they be planted under the existing shelter of ti tree scrub and were removing it all.
It was suggested that when the BOP Branch began to examine the trees in the district a book be kept recording ALL the trees examined as well as those registered as elite trees to avoid duplication of visits in the future.
Comparative plantings of trees were discussed with Clive Hill from Broadlands telling of the Trust he had set up.
Tree Lucerne, tagasaste was being trialed as a forage crop with the possibility that it be used as eczema control in the North Island.
By this time the group was so large that Field Days presented quite a problem and discussion type meeting deemed impracticable.
February 1978
Dick Endt addressed a large gathering of members and described his 1977 trip to the higher elevations of Equador where he discovered a possibly new plant called the casano. He had imported plants and seeds of his discoveries.
Leith Knowles had spent a study leave in America in 1977 and held a Black Walnut Field day to talked about these trees as well as pecans. His recommendation for growers was to direct plant the seed in the area where final trees were desired.
By the time of the 2nd Annual General Meeting local membership had increased from the original 10 to 145.
In 1997 the Bay of Plenty Branch had a membership of over 180 - not including partners and other family members. What the Committee wonders is
WHERE ARE YOU?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU?
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP US?
Note: Thanks to material written for the Bay of Plenty Branch of New Zealand Tree Crops Association Minutes Book, kept by Erica Cowdell for many years and to Geoff Brann's interesting articles. This is also a tribute to past members no longer with us.
Gail Newcomb, Newsletter Editor, NZTCA, Bay of Plenty Branch
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Updated: Wednesday, 23 July 2003