Unless you’ve picked the fruit yourself you can’t beat the freshness of the spray free fruit Sandy Price and Neill Howard are growing on their 5 acre Merton property. Within hours of picking the fruit Sandy has graded and delivered it to the Karitane General Store for sale or is selling it herself at the monthly Seacliff Market. Years of experience working quality assurance in the food industry means the fruit is always of the highest standard. The delicious fruit we sampled was fresh and crisp. The orchard contains 6-7 varieties of apples and 3-4 varieties of pears including Bartlett, Packham and Buerre Bosc. Having a variety of trees ensures a longer season with the different varieties coming on at different times. Bulk orders and seconds are available by arrangement.
They had already harvested plums, competed with possums for nectarines and picked berries.
Any surplus or waste fruit is readily consumed by their animals. Their property is also home to chickens, a goat, 2 dogs and 8 beautiful Alpacas. The Alpacas grow a very soft, lanolin free, fleece. It is so gentle it can be worn next to a baby’s skin. Sandy has begun spinning some of the fleece on a newly aquired tabletop electric spinner. She loves the fact that the tabletop is safely away from her inquisitive 13 month old, Kate.
The Alpaca fleece is for sale. Bulk orders also available.
Sandy and Neill made the move from Auckland to East Otago 5 years ago as a lifestyle choice for their children, Ben 5 & 3/4 and Kate. They are very happy with the lifestyle they have and say it follows on from their own childhoods. Sandy grew up in the Bay of Plenty with self sufficiency being the norm in her family. Neill grew up in Dunedin where his family always had a productive edible garden.They have obtained further information
through books, a Sustainable Living Course held at the Waikoauiti Library last season (thanks Maureen Howard!) and networking with other people in the area.
Sandy and Neill are keen to meet consumers’ needs and are open to suggestions.
If you would like to be able to buy particular seasonal produce, and have trouble finding it for purchase, let them know. No promises but they are open to ideas.
To contact Sandy or Neill
Phone 03 4657706
