| 55 PRODUCTION Southern Belle Orchard Understanding soil health key to quality Virginia Wright Tineke de Jong displays some of the capsicum crop growing at Southern Belle Orchard. MATAMATA AG CENTRE FARMING STORE 0800 246 224 To achieve an even, homogeneous and well aerated soil after tillage use the Imants spading machines—the true one-pass tillage tool. 07 2806561 sales@pgohort.co.nz www.pgohort.co.nz PGO: Horticultural and Hydroponics solutions Frans and Tineke de Jong and their two children emigrated to New Zealand in the early 2000’s and bought an orchard in Hinuera near Matamata. Given that Frans had his own agricultural science laboratory in the Netherlands it’s not surprising that research has always played a big part in their management of what they named Southern Belle Orchard. It’s always been a family business and with Frans approaching retirement age the day-to-day management is passing to Frans and Tineke’s son Talbert and his partner Emily. They’re already fully involved in growing the orchard’s 3000 feijoa trees as well as the chillies and capsicums from their 3000m² glasshouse. The high quality produce from both reflect Frans’ understanding of soil health and how to achieve it. The size of fruit produced by their feijoa trees says a lot about the quality of the soil they’re grown in, something the de Jong family pay a lot of attention to. They make the most of their natural soil attributes by using information from regular lab-testing to make detailed decisions about soil management. “We really work to get the nutrients we need in place, both what we need and where we need them. We get vigorous growth and have to do a lot of pruning but on the other hand, with our approach, with getting the most out of the biology of the soil, and our compost, we find that we have a very good fruit set and large fruit as well,” says Frans. Frans describes the overall operation as combining sustainable and regenerative principles. What it boils down to is that they take the long view. “Could we do the same thing we’re doing now in 100 years without making a mess of the environment? Or even improving it?” Frans thinks so, and the judges of the 2015 Waikato Ballance Environmental Farm Awards agreed, judging them that year’s Supreme Award Winners with awards in soil management, innovation and integrated management. Research is part and parcel of the de Jongs’ approach and the resulting information put to the test in the orchard and the greenhouse, their operations being complementary. They follow methods long-adopted by European growers. “You calculate all the minerals you get out of the fruit which are being exported from my property, and you look at all the minerals you have introduced by fertiliser of whatever sort, and look for a zero balance,” says Frans. Southern Belle Orchard’s home-grown compost does a good job of providing most of what their plants need. The weekly addition of all the clippings and all the prunings, from the trees and the greenhouse, to the 30 metre long by 3 metre high compost pile, together with copious amounts of the neighbours’ horse manure, and wood clippings salvaged (and paid for) from local treecare jobs, are mixed and left to work their magic for a couple of years before giving the trees and the greenhouse plants a nutrient boost. The de Jongs make up any shortfalls in soil nutrients by treating the soil with a biological mix as required to ensure they keep both trees and plants as healthy as their research can make them. Running the greenhouse alongside the orchard means wet weather days can be put to good use with plenty for staff to do with the capsicum and chillies while staying out of the rain. As early adopters the de Jongs make good use of evolving technology to make the most of their systems, such as introducing dehumidifiers to the greenhouse. “So we can recycle all that water collected into the tank and re-utilise it. I think looking at new things and seeing how you could utilise them is essential for any business,” says Frans. Southern Belle Orchard’s sustainable principles spread through the whole business including staff with the result that people tend to stay for years once they start. Angela Roberts has been with them since 2004. It’s a two-way investment as far as Frans is concerned with the time and energy they put into mentoring their younger staff coming back to them when they show their ability to think and act for themselves. Ask Frans where he would like to see the business in 100 years and he laughingly says that’s a question for the next generation as he’s not far off 65. But from a sustainable point of view he’s confident making decisions and investments based on solid research is the way to produce fruit and vegetables in harmony with an environment that should not only survive but thrive.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=